Puzzle and Dragons World
by LordAstrea
Summary: Ray Andylon is one of few chosen from millions of players around the world to test the new virtual game, Puzzle and Dragons World. But Ray and the other players soon find themselves questioning the world's reality. War looms as the malicious agendas of enemy players and monsters are revealed. And in the real world, conspiracies unfold that could threaten both worlds.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Welcome to Puzzle and Dragons World. I would first like to thank all you readers out there who have taken the time to explore this new world I have created. Those of you who have played the original Puzzle and Dragons will be familiar with some of the monsters described and game mechanics mentioned. For those of you not familiar...do not fret. There is plenty for everyone to discover since the original game has no actual story. The original game has characters with only images and stats. My goal is to bring these characters to life and to give them their own lives and personalities. It is to give them a purpose much more personal to call their own. **

**This is the story of two worlds. One world is _real_ while the other is _virtual_. But, let us explore the question, "What is reality to you?" **

**Let's begin their story...**

* * *

"_I am Lo. I am the overseer of this world as it comes to fruition. I am the caretaker upon its birth. I am the authority over its inhabitants. My laws are absolute and bound with consequence. So why should I bow to you?" -Lo (Lady Overlook)  
_

**Prologue**

_...It is a code that is of our world. It is not born or created from one of our technological achievements. It is a code that our technology is able to collect and interpret. It is the code that comprises the world itself. And our technology has the ability to mimic it. This is a mistake. We have created a brand new world much like ours with a similar code that allows the world to function independently from outside sources. I believe that whoever is after me is aware of this as well._

_The denizens of this world now have free will. _

_ I am telling you, they feel. They experience hatred, love, happiness, and sadness just like us. They are far too real. I would even argue that they are just as real as any of us. _

_ The monsters from the original Puzzle and Dragons...I chose them because of the love that so many people have for them. I chose them so that I could bring them to life. They were just images with names and nothing else. I was so blinded by my ambitions that I did not foresee the consequences that would result from using a code derived from our own world. I never anticipated the capacity of our technology to tamper with potential realities._

_I have conversed with many of the monsters and inquired about their daily lives. I have observed them and they do not act upon the influence of programs. _

_ They are also absorbed in a conflict that threatens to erupt into war. And now we may be dragged into this war. _

_Whoever is watching me, whatever organization is searching for me, the reasons cannot be good. There is malicious intent, and I cannot allow anyone to find the universal code. _

_I cannot go to the authorities, the government, nobody. The corporations of the world have become too powerful. Governments are merely puppets with restrained or even non-existent power at this point. _

_ Here is where I ask for your help. For the sake of our humanity and our existence, I implore you. I know everything I have written so far seems absolutely insane, but it is all true. I have never lied to you._

_The code being implemented now in the virtual world is useless to those who pursue me. It is constantly evolving as the virtual world continues to function._

_The original universal code is now in safe hands for the time being. I wanted to simply delete it, erase it from the world altogether, but I had no idea what effect this might have on our own world. _

_ There are monsters in the other world that you can trust. Their names and profiles are at the secret place. You know where it is. _

_ I am truly sorry. I am sorry that I surrendered to the temptations that man is so susceptible to. And I am so sorry for involving you and anyone else who is potentially in danger for my mistakes. And please extend my deepest apologies to the monsters of the other world if that ever becomes at all possible._

_ Thank you so much for everything you have done for me up until now. Thank you. Godspeed my friend. _

_**...End of file...**_

A man sat in the darkness. The only light in the room was from the small lamp on his desk that illuminated the copy of the letter from the man known as Shinji Takamura.

This was the third time he had read the letter. Much of it seemed to be absolute nonsense; the ramblings of a man who had become too engrossed in a world that was not his own.

But the fact that the code was currently out of reach was disconcerting.

After a long pause he pulled open the filing cabinet next to his desk and returned the letter to its proper folder.

He laced his fingers together on the desk and heaved a heavy sigh of exasperation. "Shinji Takamura, even in death, you still get in my way."

* * *

**Pirugan Continent: Caramoc Cove**  
**May 23, 2020**  
**1:37 AM**  
**2 Days before launch of PADW**

Pandora knelt before the large chest that lay open before her. Its encroaching chains whipped violently through the air like crazed serpents. However, their restless movements were not without purpose. A dark fog creeped over the sides of the chest and settled around Pandora's legs as she spoke inaudible words. Her hands traced the intricate designs along its base, all the way up to the edge of its maw containing an infinite abyss.

Beads of sweat broke out on her forehead as her unheard incantation began to take effect on the once dormant powers that rested within the chest. The dark fog that had begun to spread throughout the cove now retracted slowly as the abyss proceeded to draw back its intangible form.

A sudden quake of the earth momentarily interrupted her in the midst of the enchantment. She clasped her hands and allowed the fog to roll over her as it returned to its resting place. Her disheveled, yet luminous, green hair blew forward as a terrifying roar emerged from the tunnel behind her. The chains grew even more frantic and began batting each other side to side as though they sensed her growing desperation.

She took a moment to cut off the incantation so she could focus on the direction of her approaching adversary. Even though she was fairly certain of who it was, it helped to be able to discern the distance of the quakes so she could at least give herself a moment of relief.

The relief was not forthcoming.

_He is here._

She finished her work and sealed the chest as soon as the last of the darkness had receded. Next to the chest she grabbed a small backpack and dumped the contents in front of her. Small gemstones, about the size of the palm of one's hand, clattered to the ground and shimmered in the moonlight. The magic stones were used for nearly everything in this world, and she had been saving them for just this occasion. One by one she inserted the stones in the three slots that were engraved in the front of the chest. The stones melded into the ironwork and disappeared from sight as she inserted them.

The rumbling drew closer and Pandora hastened to get the last dozen or so stones placed. She had already imbedded a large amount, but with the Players arriving she didn't know how long only a few stones would last. She had to be certain, even if it meant wasting stones that could have been used elsewhere. There was no room for error at this point.

She heaved a sigh of relief as the last stone vanished. After a few moments of inactivity passed, the chains, which were now forming spirals around her, stiffened in place and coiled themselves around the chest and each other. They visibly tightened and the chest was sealed.

Pandora rose and stared at the now-silent box. The quakes were stronger now, and it was readily apparent that she wouldn't be making the swift escape that she had originally planned. She turned to the mouth of the cave she had recently emerged from and in moments a massive form appeared. Even in the darkness Pandora's ruby eyes could still see the black masses that charged forward by the behemoth's feet.

Pandora stood straight with her head raised in defiance as the giant halted a few yards away. She now noticed that the creatures at its feet were knights clad in black armor, brandishing finely crafted broadswords and pearlescent shields.

The large figure leaned forward and his six arms were now visible. His form had been shrouded by massive wings that blocked out a considerable portion of the sky when fully extended outwards. A black staff with lines of gold was held in one of its six hands and another held an impressive broadsword of superior craftsmanship. Four horns protruded from its forehead. Two more, one on each side of its head where the ears should have been, thrust straight outwards like sharp daggers. The shape of a helmet was laid around the horns and a red mask covered the mouth.

The monstrosity stepped forward slowly and knelt down on one knee. It rested an arm on its bent leg in a carefree manner. A hint of a grin was discernible from beneath the mask.

The behemoth spoke in a deep, powerful voice, "Mistress of the Bleak Night, Pandora, you have been quite a thorn in my side these past few days."

Pandora managed to still her shaking hands and allowed herself a smirk. "Oh Satan, you know how I just love playing hard to get." With those words she felt her fear slipping away, replaced by a mix of determination and frustration.

The one known as Satan visibly frowned at her lack of fear. "I don't intend to play word games with you." He extended his hand. "Give me the box and I guarantee you and the others will at least survive until the Players have had their entry."

Pandora pretended to consider his offer for a moment and placed a finger to her lips thoughtfully. "Ohhhhhh, so very very tempting. Why is it that you dark, evil guys always attempt to entice your victims with mercy, when clearly we can dismiss such a notion before you even utter it? It's tiresome, but it does buy me some time without me having to put forth any effort." She grinned.

Satan's eyes narrowed. "What do you me-" he was cut off as a heavy blow drove into the side of his head. It was a well-placed attack that successfully connected just outside of Satan's peripheral vision. The curved blade of the striking weapon cut across his vision as it scraped alongside his helmet. The wielder of the weapon twisted her wrist and drove the flat of the blade straight into Satan's face, sending him reeling backwards. The knights at his feet scattered desperately to avoid being crushed by his massive body. He landed in a brief daze, but managed to quickly reorient himself just as a swift kick landed cleanly on his other blind side and sent him careening into the cliff overlooking the cove. He let out a forced gasp that mixed with the faint taste of blood.

Satan rose slowly and uttered a stream of curses as his assailant landed gracefully a few feet in front of the still-grinning Pandora.

Pandora's comrade stood straight and brandished her weapon, a halberd with an axe blade curved into a shape akin to a scimitar. Its length was nearly double her size. As she readjusted her grip, a pair of armored, rainbow wings extended on her back. The female warrior threw her ponytail over her shoulder and allowed it to hang its full length to her waist.

She parted her hair that hung over one eye and sized up her opponent as he took an offensive stance, her expression remaining neutral despite the powerful aura that exuded from her foe.

"It's good to see you Leilan," Pandora greeted her casually, "Though you are just a tad bit late."

Leilan addressed her calmly as she checked her red and gold Chinese dress for tears, "Metatron had some last-minute adjustments that needed seeing to."

Pandora shrugged. "I guess she is known for taking her sweet time."

Leilan was only half-listening at this point. Satan had once again risen to his full height and glared at the duo. Large azure, translucent rings began to form in his hands with a display of strange archaic symbols. Blue sparks began to shower around him and the surge of energy lifted his spirits.

"What lousy timing. Chinese gods are always so irritating." He drew his arms back with the rings whirring loudly. "Time to tear your wings off little fire bird," he growled.

Leilan steadied herself. "Here we go," she breathed.

Just as Satan was about to release the deadly rings he became distracted by a strange, white light in the sky. A low hum emitted from the pale glow and echoed throughout the cove as it pulsated like a beating heart. It moved slowly across the sky in a straight line with a clear purpose. Even Leilan and Pandora could not help gazing at its brilliance. The light took the form of a sphere and settled its image over one of the moons. It halted as its form began to glow with specs of yellow light, consuming the moon's massive body.

Satan pushed aside the distraction and glared at the two females. "It seems we are running out of time," he muttered.

Leilan turned to Pandora who nodded her assent. "The Players are almost here."


	2. Chapter 1- Ray

_**A/N: I will obviously be describing the appearances of the monsters in this fanfiction, but for those of you who wish to see images of the monsters, you may find them at the Puzzle and Dragons database. Some monsters will be made-up in this fanfiction and, therefore, not available on the database. **_

_**Simply type the name of the monster into the search to view their image.**_

_**I sincerely hope you enjoy this new world of Puzzle and Dragons. **_

_**Note: Monster stats and information in the database do not necessarily reflect some presented in this fanfiction.**_

* * *

"_This world, implementing the finest in virtual technology, shall be the guise necessary to perform the task of creating the perfect soldier." -Thomas Malkin_

**Chapter 1: Ray**

**Seattle, Washington**

**United States**

**May 23, 2020**

**7:22 PM**

**2 Days before launch of PADW**

The woman behind the desk opened a binded manilla folder and carefully removed its contents as if they would break just by the gentle brush of her fingertips. She laid out the papers and sifted through them one by one, scanning each and typing notes on her laptop. It had been a long day, and it was rising in temperature due to all the individuals that were packed together despite the size of the massive assembly room. Nevertheless, she had become particularly interested in the file that she had just received from this young man.

_File #623: Subject Summary of Completion and Test Recording_

_Please submit this form to your supervisor upon completion._

_Subject: Ray Andylon_

_Gender: Male_

_Blood Type: O_

_Height: 5' 10"_

_Weight: 175 pounds_

_Eyes: Blue_

_Hair: Brown_

_Note: Eye correction required [Right -2.5 - Left -3.25]_

_Physical and Endurance Exam Results:_

_Cardio: S _

_ Notes: Subject's ability to run at moderate speed level consistently with limited contraction of bronchial tubing has been noted. Subject has history of asthma and medication with albuterol inhaler has been discontinued for past three years. Excessive, deep air intake may prove problematic but negligible with results from intrinsic scans upon transfer. Subject form suggests professional training which was confirmed at the high school level and has been continued to the present. Attached is the subject's high school and college athletic history._

_Strength: A_

_ Notes: Subject is competent at lifting heavy objects and moving between stations with time constraints. Endurance is not an issue. Subject has knowledge of differing exercises and is aware of proper muscle groups for each exercise and operates them accordingly. _

_Reflexes: S_

_ Notes: Subject displays excellent performance when presented with constantly changing situations and maintaining focus. Exercises 1-7 were performed flawlessly with exercises 8-11 receiving only one flaw each. Subject stance was analyzed and upon inquiry subject mentioned participating on his high school's wrestling team. Along with athletic history, a form is attached with information with specific athletic stats past and current._

The woman glanced up from the form for a moment. A young man in his early twenties stood before her with a passive expression on his face. His hands were clasped behind him as if he were standing at attention. His brown hair was slightly disheveled and he wore a black polo fully buttoned. The woman noted his muscle build as well. It was lean, meaning he was built for the endurance described in the report.

She was supposed to take note of these characteristics. She had been doing it for so long that she did it with everyone she met for the first time, and even with people she already knew to assess their transformations. It had become a useful habit.

As she was about to speak, a man approached her from behind and tapped her shoulder. His suit was visibly darkened from all the perspiration that wetted his brow and under his arms. His labored breathing showed he had been in a hurry. He motioned to her and she leaned towards him. She glanced at Ray for a moment who still remained motionless; however, his eyes were roaming the room. No, perhaps it was more along the lines of analyzing.

She nodded to the man and he made a hasty exit. The woman's eyes followed him until he approached another man, this one wearing some sort of black security uniform, and began speaking frantically to him about something inaudible. The man in the security suit beckoned for him to follow and they exited the room from an unseen side door.

The woman sat back in her chair for a moment and began to fuss with her ponytail. She knew it was a distracting and unbecoming habit, but she was convinced it helped her thought process. The exchange between the two men and the information she had just received was slightly troubling. In any case, Ray didn't seem to be distracted by it in the least when she made her first statement.

"As your supervisor for this testing process, I am required to provide you with information that will encourage any inquiries on your part," she said. She felt like a broken record, and she knew she certainly sounded like one. Her words came out fluid, but they almost felt robotic in a way. It was annoying to just hear her own voice sometimes with this job.

Ray nodded. "Okay," he answered simply.

"Since this is our first official meeting face-to-face, allow me to introduce myself, I am Emily Tanner. I will be your supervisor up until you are sent into the virtual world. My job is to go over these files and collaborate with your test instructors to ensure that you are given the proper coding that represents your true ability here in the real world. It will be applied to your person upon entering the virtual world and it will build upon the levels and stats you gain. Do you have any questions so far? I know it's a pretty wild concept to grasp."

Ray didn't take much time to ask his question, even though the question was actually more of a confirmation, "So basically, my ability in the real world has been gauged and it will be applied to me in the virtual world."

Emily smiled. "Yeah you pretty much got it. The only other thing you're missing is that you can improve yourself even without gaining levels, just like you can in the real world." She left a notable emphasis on the word 'real.'

"It seems a little unfair if some people are more athletic or stronger than others in the real world," Ray commented.

Emily nodded. "In hindsight, it does seem that way. However, when you all enter this world, you will find that people have capabilities that will make you all equals. It depends upon how you all use your talents that will bring the desired outcome. The intrinsic scans are also in place to determine what your possible true potential is that you have not yet reached. I assure you that nobody ever reaches their full potential. We hope to bring that out in the virtual world."

Emily stopped for a moment. She surprised herself by how much information she was relaying to this boy. Normally with her candidates she went through just the typical, boring procedure: read the file, answer the questions promptly, and then send them on their way. However, at this point, she found herself babbling.

She immediately dismissed the notion and returned her attention to Ray.

"Do you have anymore questions?" she asked.

Ray considered it for a moment. "Only one. Is there someone I can speak to more in-depth about the world and the database we will be given?"

Emily cocked an eyebrow at this peculiar question. "Yes, there will be a final assembly held the day before you are sent in. You will have some guest speakers who will explain how everything works. If you don't get some answers you are hoping for, I am sure they will be holding some separate meetings afterward to make themselves available."

She went back to the form she had been reading and scanned through some of the unimportant details: the background checks, possible criminal history, highest level of education, they could all wait until a later date. After a quick skim, she reached a report that seized her attention. At first, the letters didn't quite register in her brain. It was like a calculator that had been given a formula that defied all the laws of equation it had been taught. She felt her mouth drop slightly as she read his intrinsic scan report. It didn't seem possible.

She forced herself to look back up at Ray. "You didn't look through this folder right?"

Ray tilted his head in confusion. "No. They told us not to. Besides, judging by the way it was sealed, the tears would have been obvious if I had browsed through it."

Emily nodded and composed herself. "Of course. Sorry, I wasn't thinking. It's been a pretty long day."

She rubbed her eyes and glanced back at the form before placing it back in the folder,

_Intrinsic Scan Analysis Report:_

_Subject displays tremendous physical and mental capabilities. Physical capabilities include heightened reflexes and situational strength/endurance limiter removals. Situational testing displayed a 97% success rate for limiter removal in dangerous and time-crucial situations (situations and conflict varying upon mental state and source of conflict). _

_Mental capabilities were impressive with resolving highly difficult problems and amending provided instructions with opportunities to ascertain flaws and/or enact improvements. Readings indicate unidentified potentials at rates ranging from 87%-99%._

_Subject Final Intrinsic Scan Analysis Score: SSS_

Emily closed and sealed the folder with a special lock she withdrew from a small metal box on her desk. She stared at the folder for a few more brief seconds. It was as if she was seeing through the folder and still reading Ray's files. _SSS._

She felt a thought tugging at her somewhere in her brain, but she couldn't quite grasp it. It was like someone was dangling the answer at the end of a fishing line being constantly pulled out of her reach. At that moment, she reflexively drew a pen from her pocket, pulled out a stack of notes, and wrote a short memo to herself, _More research: Ray Andylon, ID 623._ She ripped the sticky note off the pile and stuck it in her pocket before extending her hand across the table to Ray.

"You are dismissed. I will see you right after the final assembly for a few last-minute instructions. I wish you luck."

Ray grasped her hand in a firm grip and they shook with one quick motion. "Thank you."

Ray grabbed his backpack off the floor, gave Emily a curt nod, and proceeded to head to the cafeteria for dinner. Emily watched after him until he disappeared behind the glass double doors at the end of the assembly hall. She stared down at her hand. A person's handshake could tell a lot.

* * *

Ray strode down the crowded hallway and pulled out his cellphone. Apparently, he had missed seven calls; one under the name Keiichi, and the other six under the name Lucy. Typical Lucy. Ray couldn't help allowing himself a grin when he also opened his text message inbox to find ten more texts from her and two from Keiichi. He figured he would be seeing them soon anyway, so he saw no real reason to answer them back.

The hallway merged with a sky bridge completely encompassed by glass with a view of the city below. Seattle was bustling with massive crowds of people heading home after a long day of work. The traffic was as horrendous as ever, with cars knit tightly together and evidence of an accident a few blocks up the road. Ray didn't much like the city, and it was due to the fact that wherever you walked you were bound to bump into twenty-or-so people before you even made it a few yards. He wasn't really much on crowds, and even the narrow bridge made him jittery as he hugged the railing that lined the glass.

He noted the large digital screen that overlooked this section of the city. On the screen, a female wielding a lengthy halberd was in combat with another female clad in thick armor who deflected her opponent's attack with a finely crafted lance. The curved blades attached to the sides of the lance allowed the halberd to drag alongside it and forced the other female's momentum to carry forward. Just as the armored female was about to deal a critical side swipe, her lance was halted by a male with a lance of his own, this one a lime green and exuding some form of pestilence. The man in green readjusted his hat and gave the other lance wielder a wry grin.

The battle continued for some time on the screen with more participants joining along the way. The advertisement showed the vast scope of the world that a select few Players would be entering.

Ray stared at the screen a little longer, completely mesmerized by the display. That was the world he would soon be a part of and he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. It was just so exciting that he would be able to experience a whole new world firsthand.

He had been growing tired of the world he lived in for so long. It was as if some deity up above had answered his prayers and was giving him a second life that he could only have dreamed of up until now. It was the chance of a lifetime for someone like him.

_I won't let any of this go to waste, _ he promised himself.

* * *

The cafeteria was crowded, just the way he hated it. His fellow Players were already seated, and he could pick out their excited conversations concerning what they planned to do once they entered the virtual world. Some of them were showing off their ranks and monster boxes from the previous Puzzle and Dragons; the one for the android and ios released many years ago.

_It's been nearly a decade,_ Ray reminisced.

He could discern a few key words from specific conversations. They were discussing dungeons they had conquered, teams that were most effective against certain gods, and, most importantly, who they intended to pick as their first monster upon entering the world.

Each Player would get the opportunity to list five monsters he/she wanted when first starting out, beginning with the first as the most desired and the last as least. Ray didn't quite know how it was decided who received what monster, but he assumed it had to do with how often the monster was used by the Player in the previous Puzzle and Dragons. He hoped rank didn't apply. The original Puzzle and Dragons was released in 2012 and he only started the game in early 2014 due to the fact he didn't own a cellphone that could run the game. So basically, he was way behind most of these Players as far as rank was concerned. Nobody had a prayer of catching up to Players who had a two-year head start. In the end though, it was just a number right?

At that moment he heard a familiar name uttered by one of the Players, "...Leilan..."

The name halted Ray in his tracks. It was a name Ray had discovered during his first few weeks of playing the original game. He recalled the emotions he felt as he took a pull on the machine that released a variety of eggs, all different colors, that could hold one of a list of nearly fifteen hundred monsters. This machine could give a Player the monsters he/she desired, but it could also give them essentially nothing. It had been his first pull.

He had sat there with a mix of anticipation and apprehension, wishing to any and all forces out in the universe that he would see that gold egg appear out of that silly, yellow dragon machine.

_Ray pulled down on the dragon's arm and the slot on the belly of the egg machine opened. Ray held his breath. A gold egg appeared and he pumped an excited fist in the air, but, almost immediately, drew his hand to his side and realized that even a gold egg could hold something that wasn't what he desired. Gods weren't the only ones that rested within these treasured capsules._

_Ray stared unblinking at the egg as it shook a few times. After a brief moment, it burst open with a bright light that consumed the screen of Ray's phone. As the light diminished, Ray saw a girl with a mix of dark orange and red hair wrapped into a long ponytail. Her Chinese dress was a deep red laced with gold, and her small rainbow wings were outstretched, prepared to take flight. She wielded a broadsword burning with an unquenchable fire that mimicked the flames that swirled around her in a controlled circle._

_Ray sat staring at the screen for a long while. Time had become meaningless. She had a wonderful smile on her face that exuded an air of confidence, but also hid a reserved kindness. He tapped the screen with a trembling finger and at the top left of the screen it read "God" with a red orb; a fire symbol sealed within it._

She would be the first of many gods that Ray received over his time playing the game but, in the end, it was Leilan who conquered the most dungeons and pushed him to the rank he was at today. He felt that, if not for her, he would have possibly been one of those people who quit the game out of sheer frustration due to not receiving a powerful enough monster from the machine to move forward at an acceptable pace.

He willed the memory away and grimaced. _Not a chance buddy._

Just as he was about to take a strained step forward he felt a slight nudge from behind. He could instinctively tell it was not hostile, so he glanced over his shoulder calmly and noted the person behind him. The young man was around his age with short black hair and a similar lean build. His brown eyes held a hidden intensity that was masked by his unmatched enthusiasm. He wore a winning smile as he gave Ray a quick wave.

Ray couldn't suppress a grin. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Keiichi."

The young man named Keiichi slapped a hand on Ray's shoulder and they embraced in a one-armed hug.

"Dammit man where have you been?" Keiichi asked unable to contain his excitement. "I messaged you a few times but didn't hear back from you."

Ray raised his hands apologetically. "Sorry, they held me there longer than I expected. Had some equipment problems."

Keiichi frowned at this. "Seriously? That's a shame. You missed out on the meet and greet. Not that it was anything all that special I guess." He shrugged. "Though I can tell that a bunch of them are going to be taking a dark path. More than I expected."

Ray gestured for Keiichi to follow him so they could grab some food. He didn't address the statement immediately, but he did take some time to process Keiichi's words. It was typical of games that had player vs. player combat to have some Player Killers, but he was hoping that the focus would be more on conquering dungeons and discovering the secrets of the world. The fact that a lot of other Players were already considering killing other Players was unsettling.

Ray and Keiichi grabbed their meal from the buffet line and settled at a high-top table in the corner of the room where they could separate themselves from most of the cacophony. Ray could now get a clear view of the area and noted that there must have been at least a couple hundred people. Some were Players, while others appeared to be staff.

"So if we are going to have Player Killers we'll need to make sure we don't draw too much unwanted attention," Keiichi continued. "But you go for the whole rogue thing in these types of games anyway right?"

Ray nodded. "Usually, but I may have to try and join a guild so I can have a decent information network." Ray sighed. "Which may be a little problematic for someone like me..."

Keiichi nodded solemnly. They were both friends in the original game, so Keiichi was aware of Ray's rank. It wasn't high. Ray had started the game too late and he wasn't a Player who spent much money towards it like many others did, which pushed him even further behind in rank. Keiichi knew more about him than any of his other game friends did though.

Keiichi and Ray were a rarity and actually stayed in contact outside of the game and discussed things that went beyond gaming. It turned out they were both successful athletes, excelled in school, and were absolutely dense as hell when it came to women. They laughed about the latter constantly. Both of them had blown tons of chances with girls and, honestly, they didn't mind sharing these moments with each other despite the fact they were on opposite sides of the country from each other. Ray actually found it kind of scary how much they had in common: music taste, anime and tv shows, books, etc.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Keiichi said after what seemed like a considerable amount of time. "If some guilds reject you, then they don't know what they're missing out on. You've demonstrated some of your puzzle-solving skills with me, and they were damn impressive. Furthermore, our abilities in the real world will be applied. You might even have an advantage."

Ray nodded. He was thankful for Keiichi's support, but they both were aware it was still going to be rough nevertheless. Ray was confident that if he could have Leilan as a partner, he could hold out as long as he needed to.

"In any case-" Ray started. He was interrupted by a tray that slammed on the table right in front of his plate. The plate leaped off the table but managed to hold the food in place. Ray and Keiichi both instinctively reared back in their chairs. Ray was more fortunate than Keiichi. He leaned forward just in time to right himself in his seat as Keiichi's chair settled too far back on its legs and sent him down hard to the floor. He lay there sprawled in a heap with his legs dangling above his head.

The two stared fearfully at the newcomer. Her head was lowered and her body trembled. When she looked up, Ray pushed himself towards the corner, cowering in fear while Keiichi covered his face with his shirt and assumed the fetal position. There was death in those eyes.

"Oh god she's here! She's friggin here!" Keiichi sobbed. His voice was nearly raised to a shout with his fake crying.

Ray threw his face in his hands dramatically. "Gods above I am so sorry. Whatever sin I have caused I will amend in any way I can. Your humble servant begs for mercy."

The two fear-stricken boys continued their stammering pleas as the girl eyed the two of them back and forth furiously. She finally rested her eyes on Ray, stepped on the metal rungs of his high chair, and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt violently.

Keiichi clapped his hands together in prayer, thanking some unknown deity for sparing him and sacrificing Ray so that he could continue to live a fruitful, fulfilling life.

Ray heard all of this and kept his eyes tightly shut as he bawled to Keiichi, "You damn coward! I'm going to haunt you when I die!"

He opened his eyes a sliver so he could see the expression on the girl's face. It was actually what he had expected. She looked more hurt than angry. Her eyes were a deep blue and practically sparkled in the light. Her brown hair settled just past her shoulders and, despite the fact that she was now towering over him, she was rather petite. The girl's face was barely an inch from Ray's and she gazed at him as if she were analyzing him.

Ray finally managed to find his voice. "H-hey Lucy."

At the sound of her name she shook Ray a few more times before embracing him in a devastating hug that should have been impossible for someone of her stature.

"Why didn't you answer my calls you jerk?" She rocked the chair back and forth and Ray felt his head collide with the wall a few times.

Ray strained to breathe. "I'm-sorry," he choked.

Keiichi now stood at his side and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Poor Ray. His life was a brief one."

Ray managed to get a couple more select words out, "Screw-you."

The girl named Lucy turned to Keiichi at the sound of his voice with a mixture of joy and hate in her eyes. It was an emotional combination that should have been impossible, and it terrified Keiichi. He raised his hands nervously in surrender, but the girl had already leaped away from Ray and seized Keiichi in a death hug just for him.

* * *

Emily moved hastily through the assembly hall as soon as she finished saving her data on the laptop and filed away her physical documents. There were still large throngs of people blocking her route and she shoved many of them aside with obvious irritation. Many of them gave her disapproving and angry looks, but she didn't pay them any mind.

The hallway outside became surprisingly quiet as she entered the administrative wing, and she made good time to her office three floors above. A man sat at a long, marble desk, typing away furiously, his brow furrowed deeply to match his intensity. The door to the entry room closed without a sound behind Emily and she made her way past the front desk to her office. The man didn't seem to notice her.

Her office was a generous size with a window nearly dominating a side wall that overlooked the city. Two large bookshelves filled the adjacent wall where a mahogany desk sat before them with just enough room for her to swivel her chair back to sit. There was nothing decorative to the room, and one would think it rather plain. People typically didn't know her personality all that well though.

Emily withdrew her laptop and set it on the desk as it booted up. While she waited, she picked up the phone and dialed an extension.

After a few tones passed, a tired voice answered, "Hello?" The man sounded like he had just woken up. He yawned loudly on the other end of the phone.

Emily dismissed this unprofessionalism. "Rick. It's Emily."

The man named Rick made a loud shuffling on the other end of the phone.

"Well I guess if you're calling it must be something important," he said, attempting to mask his interest.

"I just received a SSS rank."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. The only indication that Rick was still there was his slow, even breath. Emily gave him a moment to let the news sink in. When it was apparent that no response was forthcoming, Emily broke the silence.

"Rick?"

"Who else knows about this?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "You, me, and the guys who administered the tests. What do you take me for?"

Rick sighed heavily. "I know. Just one of those questions that needs asking. Okay, send me his information. I highly doubt this is a coincidence, and if my hunch is right, there will be more."

Emily opened a document on her computer and prepared to relay the information to Rick through a secured dropbox linked to his computer.

"And the testers?" she asked.

"I'm barred from their area in the system. There is nothing we can do about them. If we tell them to keep quiet about this, it will just arouse more suspicion. No, they will definitely be shooting their mouths off. Who wouldn't when they've just finished testing a SSS rank? I guess we just need to hope it doesn't reach the wrong people too soon when it spreads."

Emily nodded even though Rick couldn't see her assent.

"This will no longer be a secure line in a few days," Rick added. "I will meet you at the usual place to give you access to the new line."

Emily nodded. "Okay."

There was another long silence before Rick spoke again. "What do you think about Kurosaki? Can we trust him?"

"I'm not sure yet. I'll keep you posted." Emily hung up the phone and sat there for a moment running the conversation through her head again. If what Rick said was true, then more SSS ranks were going to be entering the virtual world. The only problem with that was, whose side were they on?


	3. Chapter 2- Reversion

_**A/N: Those of you who are still with the story at this point, Hooray! I am so glad that you have decided to continue on this journey with me through the new world of Puzzle and Dragons. I extend my deepest thanks to all of you readers out there who have taken the time to review my previous chapters. Thanks a bunch!**_

* * *

"_I constantly tell them not to look in the box, but they always do anyway. It's rather amusing." -Pandora_

**Chapter 2- Reversion**

**Pirugan Continent, Caramoc Cove**

**May 23, 2020**

**2:03 AM**

**2 Days before launch of PADW**

The swirling disc slashed dangerously past Leilan as she side-stepped expertly out of harm's way. The remaining five discs of lightning maneuvered strategically around her and seemed to float momentarily, as if they were waiting for her to make the first move. Leilan didn't need to win this battle though, she just needed to buy Pandora enough time to make her escape.

The moon was now completely consumed by the specks of yellow and blazed like a brilliant sun. Streams of silver laced around the circumference of the sphere of light and glided to the ground, seemingly inserting themselves into the land. The sphere began to pulsate much more evenly than before and rings of rainbow light shot outward and disappeared into the distance from all angles.

Leilan turned to Pandora. "Get going. There isn't enough time for you to stay here."

Pandora nodded her assent and retreated to the other end of the cove where a short tunnel promised an escape.

Leilan inspected the spinning rings. One of her eyes conjured a slight flame that burned a scorching blue and orange hue. The eye remained immune to the burn and her pupil narrowed.

"Initiating active skill _Flame Lure,_" Leilan muttered under her breath.

* * *

Pandora briefly glanced over her shoulder and saw that the spinning rings had become impatient and launched themselves at Leilan in unison. Pandora hated being the one who had to turn tail, but she knew that the box needed to be kept safe at all costs.

At the end of the tunnel, she was halted by a cliff that overlooked the expanse of the glowing ocean. She stared down and could see the gentle lapping of the waves below upon the rocky shore. To her left was a natural staircase that led downwards.

What stood before the staircase was the real problem. Pandora let out a stream of curses as she noticed an armored warrior draw his broadsword from the long scabbard on his back. The sword's length was as long as he was tall, and a small iron shield with intricate, swirling symbols was attached to his left forearm. Gold spikes protruded from his helmet and narrow slits were left open for the eyes. His gauntlets were multilayered and jagged upon the knuckles.

He took an intimidating, heavy step forward and cracked the knuckles on one of his hands. The smooth rock beneath his feet showed signs of thin cracks with his passing.

Pandora took a struggled step back to put as much distance between her and the black knight as possible. She needed to hold on for just a little bit longer. The Reversion was about to take place. Just a little longer...

She found herself at the edge of the cliff, the heel of her foot no longer resting on solid ground. Her foot rose and fell a few times as if it was refusing to believe that it had reached the end of the line.

Pandora eyed her enemy and set the box down beside her. She attempted to mentally prepare herself for the inevitable encounter, despite the aching resistance of her body. The knight was now only a few yards away and he could easily close the distance between them, even with his bulky armor. The armored monster took a shorter step forward and lowered himself into a crouch, preparing to charge forward, with sword drawn parallel to the ground. Pandora took a fighting stance of her own and conjured a sphere of darkness that was a materialization of her own malice. It swirled calmly at first, and then increased in speed as she forced her hate to rise. It was the source of her power; the manifestation of dark emotions.

Just as both combatants leaned to ease weight on their back legs, a high-pitched voice pierced the silence from above.

"Unnecessary dramatic entrance PUNCH!" the enthusiastic voice shouted.

The black knight looked up in time for his face to be met with a spiked, metal fist that drove his head into the ground in a splash of rock and dirt that concealed both him and his assailant. The female who struck him drew back her other fist for a second attack, but the knight recovered faster than anticipated and drew a hidden dagger concealed in the waste of his armor. He slashed outwards in an upper arc, just barely missing the female, who had reared her upper body back to avoid the sneak attack. She pushed off the recovering knight and landed a few yards away, driving one of her fists into the ground to ease the landing for the rest of her body.

The girl stood straight and threw her long, black hair back over her shoulder, revealing a wide grin on her face. She had what appeared to be small fins extending near her ears and jagged horns growing from her head. She wore an aqua, silk kungfu suit that extended to her thighs, which were covered by elaborately crafted body armor of similar hue. Her white leggings and suit matched the shape of her body for increased mobility. The armor on her wrists were also of the same blue color as the rest of the armor, and sharp fins extended out of these as well, making them versatile for offense and defense in combat. What was most peculiar about her human-like appearance was the long, cerulean tail that extended from her lower back that barely brushed against the ground at its end.

She smashed her armored fists together dramatically and the metallic clang echoed throughout the cove. The girl turned to Pandora with the same winning grin.

"Heya Pandora! Just thought I'd drop in to lend a hand." She pumped her fist in the air for emphasis.

Pandora's shock instantly transformed into a relieved sighed. "What is with you Chinese gods showing up at the last minute?"

The girl pretended to consider the question for a moment before answering. Finally, she simply shrugged with the same happy expression. "I dunno, makes things more exciting I guess."

The conversation between the two girls was interrupted by the sound of scraping metal from where the knight had been dealt his brief beating. He rose slowly out of the wide crater that had formed around him from the heavy blow the girl had dealt. His hand rested on the flat of his sword and he drew it across the blade. At first, it seemed as if this motion was some sort of battle ritual, but upon further inspection, one could discern a faint, dull glow that emanated from the edges of the sword. The two females could tell that he was reinforcing the blade with one of his active skills.

"Any idea what that active skill is Karin?" Pandora inquired.

The enthusiastic girl, Karin, shook her head without a shred of concern. "Nope, but reinforcement isn't all that special." She brought her fists together again, this time in a controlled manner, as she prepared her defensive stance. "I got this."

* * *

Leilan batted aside the first disc and angled her halberd diagonally towards the ground to catch the second. The first disc smashed into a third which immediately lost course and buried itself deeply into the rock; however, it didn't seem to lose its momentum and continued cutting through the stone in an awkward arc that passed Leilan at a safe distance from behind. The disc eating into the blade of the halberd was stubborn and attempted to slice through, but Leilan angled her grip downward so the disc also began to cut into the rock. She centered her hands on the staff of the weapon and a fourth disc drove into the top portion of the staff. This extra force pushed Leilan back and she felt her feet begin to slide. The final disc was now on its way, and Leilan was fully aware of the fact that her options were now limited, given the fact that the two discs spinning against the opposite ends of her halberd prevented her from moving to either side.

She readjusted her grip once again so that the driving force of each disc on either side of the halberd was distributed equally. As the final disc was nearly upon her, she forced her hands upwards towards the sky and allowed her feet to leave the ground. She shot upward now that the two opposing forces of the discs no longer had any counterweight. By lifting her hands, she was able to change the angle of the discs so that she shot at an angle upwards rather than being pushed horizontally back along the ground. The final disc flew harmlessly below her and drove into one of the cliffs, utterly decimating the top half. The wall collapsed, and the resulting blast contributed to Leilan's now forward motion and allowed her to flip over the two discs still attached to her halberd. These two soon disconnected and flew into the sky and disappeared into the bright light of the moon.

Leilan landed right where she had begun, with not a single scratch to be seen on her body. She allowed the arm supporting her halberd to fall slightly so that its blade cut into the ground to relax her muscles.

Satan let out a grunt of disappointment. "Looks like the bird managed to fly."

He sat back against one of the walls of the cove and allowed his arms to rest easily at his side. The Reversion was at hand, and he knew now that there was no time to defeat Leilan and catch Pandora with such a constraint.

As the two warriors stared each other down, a bright pillar of yellow light descended from the sky and planted itself into the ground. Sparks erupted from the rock and small lights like fireflies encircled the pillar that signaled the official arrival of The Reversion.

Leilan side-stepped so she could get a full view of Satan who was now leaning back against a boulder completely at ease. She frowned at this. Satan had clearly lost this battle, a crucial battle at that, and yet, he seemed to be completely unfazed. As a matter of fact, he actually looked confident. Pandora's box was one of the keys to winning the war between the monsters. So why was he so nonchalant about what should have been a devastating defeat?

"What are you up to?" Leilan asked, masking the concern in her voice.

Satan regarded her as if he had just seen her for the first time. He leaned forward and clasped two of his hands together. "Nothing at all," his deep voice boomed throughout the cove despite his even tone, "I only just realized that this defeat is a minor hindrance in the whole scheme of things."

"Explain."

"I see no reason to," Satan replied. He decided to let those words sink in as he clasped two other hands behind his head.

He regarded the dark knights that stood around them. He had noticed during Pandora's retreat that they had not made any attempt to pursue her. They just stood there, staring vacantly into the distance with their weapons held at their side. He figured that perhaps another one of Leilan's active skills was in effect that caused minor monsters to enter a state of paralysis. He had to admit, it was a nifty little active skill. So was the first one that turned the attention of the discs away from the intended target.

He closed his eyes and still sensed the presence of Pandora and another individual that was just a short distance outside of the cove. One of his own was there as well, but it was clear that his opponent was still in peak condition. With that in mind, he concluded that the battle was now officially over. He was not accustomed to defeat, but he took it as a learning experience.

Two more pillars of light appeared. These two engulfed both Leilan and Satan. Satan glanced down at his hand and felt a soft tingling sensation creep along his fingertips that were now pixelated and flaky. As his fingers began to disappear and disintegrate, tiny flecks, no more the size of a grain of sand, floated up the pillar towards the moon in a lazy ascent.

Leilan's was overcome by a similar effect, and her whole body took on a strange sepia tone with a grayscale aura that outlined her form. She stared at her hands calmly as they were the first to disintegrate. Her weapon was next, and she felt naked without it even though her hands could not have held the weapon in the first place at this point.

When only their upper bodies remained, Satan gave her a slow nod and vanished. Leilan didn't know what that motion meant, but she hated to admit to herself that a sense of dread had creeped into her thoughts.

* * *

Karin landed deftly against the rock wall and launched herself just as the blade of her enemy's sword embedded itself deeply into the stone. The dark knight jerked his arm back and the blade bent at an awkward angle as he whipped it around towards Karin. The sudden change in direction caught Karin off guard, and she was barely able to deflect the whip-like sword with a shower of water. The end of the blade cut her shoulder and she fell expertly into a roll that broke her fall.

The knight retracted the bladed whip with the flick of his wrist and it became a broadsword once more.

_It can change shape? Interesting, _Karin thought, retaining her composure.

The water that she utilized to block the blade began to swirl around her and took the shape of a dragon serpent. The water dragon was incredibly detailed and even its sapphire scales were discernible on its liquid form. It settled around Karin and rested its head on her shoulder, awaiting her next command.

Pandora observed the battle from behind Karin and cursed herself for her weakened state. Just creating that tiny sphere of malice had drained nearly all of what little energy she had left. She still felt the parasitical aftereffects of the box from sealing it with the magic stones. The stones were still in their pure state, but she needed them to reach a certain level of corruption before the box was fully sealed. Extra energy was necessary, so she had to allow the box to continue feeding off of her until it was satisfied.

She watched helplessly as the black figure pointed his sword at Karin. It was as if he was daring her to make the first move.

Karin was accustomed to initiation, so she decided to humor him. The dragon resting on her shoulder creeped down her arm, swirled around it, and tightened, all while retaining a watery form. Karin snapped her fingers and, accepting the signal, the dragon charged forward, pulling Karin along with it. She beat her feet against the ground to increase speed and to launch herself in a multitude of directions to make herself a challenging target. It was clever due to the fact that the water dragon also changed direction as she formed signals with the bending of her fingers.

The knight stood there, sword still pointed in the same stance, save for the fact that his knees were now bent slightly. His other arm hung relaxed at his side, swaying no more than an inch in either direction, forward and then back.

As his opponent drew near, the blade, with astounding speed, extended to what should have been an impossible length. The blade was now nearly fifteen yards long and reached Karin in less than a fraction of a second.

Karin saw the blade right before her face, right between the eyes. It was as if everything had entered a state of slow motion. The tip of the blade crept closer and closer, the flat of the blade reflecting the yellow light of the moon. That brilliant light was what prevented her from flinching. That flinch was what prevented a crucial, slight twitch of a muscle that could respond to danger. She would not allow herself to flinch.

She let that trained, instinctive twitch take her when she noticed the second slight bend of her opponent's knees.

Karin relaxed her neck and gave her water dragon another quick sign that was executed relatively simultaneous with the previous one. Her dragon was trained well, for it immediately canceled the former sign and processed the latter just in time to pull Karin to the side. The tip of the long blade sliced along her cheek, drawing blood that the blade hungrily accepted.

It locked onto a new target: Pandora. Even in her weakened state Pandora had noticed the water dragon's last-second shift in direction. She rolled sideways and the blade extended past her head dealing no damage.

Karin detached the water dragon and skid along the rock, planting her fist into the ground to slow her to a halt.

She glanced up at her enemy. Her eyes widened when she noticed his extended arm. Karin saw his fingers forming familiar signs.

_He figured out my commands already?_

Immediately following that thought, The Reversion initiated its final stage.

The armored warrior stood calmly as a pillar of light enveloped his body and began the same process that was dealt to Leilan and Satan. Karin and Pandora were admitted soon after. Karin forced a wink at Pandora, who responded with a weak, yet relieved smile as their bodies began to disintegrate. Their adversary stood there silently and sheathed his blade into the scabbard on his back. It slid in easily and locked at the elegant pommel with a metallic click.

Karin saluted her opponent before her hands disappeared. "Nice battle there friend; even if you aren't much of a conversationalist, " she added.

The knight remained silent, but to Karin's surprise, returned a similar swift salute. As the last of their bodies disappeared, the pillars extended into the sky, along with hundreds of others that extended all over the virtual world. As the last of the pillars retracted, a silence fell over the world that would be short-lived.

* * *

A hooded figure wearing a dark cloak stepped into Caramoc Cove once the last of the pillars disappeared from sight. He examined the aftermath of the battle that had just recently taken place. Debris was scattered everywhere and the individual noted the sliced rock that Satan's discs had punished.

They were impressive to say the least. They had completely exceeded his expectations.

_I hope the Players show as much promise._

The cloaked figure examined a teal, banded device that encircled his wrist. It was covered with an array of small lights that were currently faded. It was akin to a wristband that extended nearly to his elbows with three thin slots that could be observed upon closer examination of its underside.

One of the lights lit up as the dark figure ran a gloved finger over it and a holographic screen appeared before his eyes. He scrolled with his fingertips through the menus that were listed. After a brief moment of searching, he settled upon the one he was looking for and pressed it gently.

A list of categories now appeared and he happened upon the one he was searching for instantly.

"Continue to entertain us," he whispered.

He wiped his hand over the category and pressed the holographic button that was presented to him.


	4. Chapter 3- Choices

**A/N: Hey everybody! Welcome to the next chapter of PADW. ****Remember, you can find images of these characters at the Puzzle and Dragons database.**

**I greatly appreciate all reviews of my work. It helps better my writing.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the monsters or game mechanics of Puzzle and Dragons.**

* * *

"_Make sure everyone maintains their individuality. We need separate wills in order for our world to become the new reality." -Christopher Alsheimer, CEO of World Virtual Visions (WVV)_

**Chapter 3: Choices**

**Seattle, Washington**

**United States**

**May 24, 2020**

**3:07 PM**

**20 hours 53 minutes before launch of PADW**

_Athena. Karin. Mei Mei. Parvati. Sarasvati. Vishnu. Zeus. Metatron. Sakuya. Siegfried. Pandora. Satan. Hera. Valkyrie. Verche. Echidna. Guan Yu. Cao Cao. Ra. Hades. Bastet. Sonia. Lilith. Tsukoyomi. Haku. Odin. Anubis. Isis. Idunn &amp; Idunna. Persephone. Tearju. Apollo. Michael. Freyja. Noah. Alraune. Amaterasu. Raphael. Shiva. Cleopatra. Neptune. Da Qiao &amp; Xiao Qiao. Venus. Okuninushi. Thanatos. Lu Bu..._

Ray scrolled through the massive list of characters presented to him on the screen. He swiped to the next page on the tablet and scanned through a new list of names. He had forgotten how many characters were now in this game; however, of course, he did not expect all of them to be included. After all, this version of Puzzle and Dragons was brand new, and the original game currently had a list of over two thousand characters.

But why didn't they at least list the characters in numerical order; or perhaps list them in alphabetical order or monster type or even attribute type? It was like the developers just decided to throw them all together in a randomizer and dump them out afterward.

The information and stats provided for each monster were also meager in presentation. All that was provided was: name, attribute, type, health, and attack. These were the basic bits of information needed to understand any playable character in a game. However, a Puzzle and Dragons Player would know that several pieces of crucial information were left out.

Most monsters in PAD had an active skill and a leader skill. The leader skill is passive, and is only activated if a monster is assigned the position of "leader" on a team. The active skill could be used after a certain amount of turns went by, or, in this new game, could be implemented after a certain amount of time or if other instances are met. Both of these skills were not listed. Ray had to wonder if maybe they had been changed. They couldn't have been removed, they were still in the new game guide. So why? Multiple other stats were missing as well.

_They are really leaving us in the dark aren't they. Guess I'll just have to adapt._

The man sitting at the desk in front of him constantly glanced at his watch as Ray swiped through another page. The man spoke up, "You know you only pick five right?"

Ray answered the man without looking up, "Yes, I know."

He didn't push the conversation further with an explanation as he maintained focus on the screen. The man unsuccessfully attempted to stifle a yawn and pretended to look through some papers at his desk.

Ray reached the last page and scanned until he reached the bottom.

_What the hell? She isn't here._

Ray scrolled back to the first page and frantically analyzed each and every monster that appeared. He looked at each name for at least a whole three seconds before he moved to the next one.

_Why can't I find her?_

Then a thought dawned on him as he began to weigh all the possibilities in his head. One of these disheartened him immensely.

_Did they remove her from the game?_

Impossible. There was absolutely no way they could remove a character like her. She was immensely popular and her skills were at a moderate level. She could conquer most of the dungeons in the previous game with a decent helper.

He had to convince himself that she was still in this game as well.

_Okay, so the Chinese gods are: Mei Mei, Karin, Sakuya, Haku, and Leilan._

Ray went through the list again searching for all the names of the Chinese gods. He first happened upon Karin on the second page, followed by Mei Mei. Sakuya was on the next page, and then Haku a few pages after that. There was still no sign of Leilan's name.

_What the hell is going on?_

He reached the last page again. His hands were sweating and it was difficult to move his finger across the screen fluidly. For a moment, his vision blurred and he rubbed his eyes, even though the motion was probably the worst course of action. The blur was probably due to the fact that he had been staring so intently at a screen for so long. He also noticed that his face was an unnecessary distance from the screen, probably less than an inch.

When he reached that last page he leaned back in the leather chair. He tried to force himself to relax, but found this to be impossible. Sitting hunched over had actually blocked off his breathing slightly and he realized he was panting. His encounters with asthma were brief at least.

The bored man behind the desk now eyed him curiously. "Everything okay kid?"

Ray regarded him with a slight nod. "Yeah, just didn't get enough sleep last night."

The man laughed humorlessly, "Nervous or something?"

Ray let out a soft chuckle. The truth was, the fact he was going to be in this game with the entire world watching him was a little unsettling. He didn't need that added on to the desperation and disbelief he was fighting with right now.

* * *

**Sanctuary, Pirugan Continent**

**May 24, 2020**

**3:02 PM**

**20 hours 58 minutes before launch of PADW**

"I am afraid we are out of time," Metatron announced gravely to the other god monsters that sat at the long table before her.

They all looked down grimly despite their recent victory against Satan and the other unknown dark knight that appeared at Caramoc Cove. The past few days had finally taken a toll on all of their spirits. Even though they had successfully escaped with Pandora's box, Satan's power had proven that there was another force at work that was beyond their comprehension. Satan's unexpected discovery of Pandora was a testament to the fact that his information network and influence extended far beyond their expectations.

Even with the conclusion of the Reversion, they were still losing. They were all straight back to level one.

Metatron's black half-slip dress had been matted with dirt in a recent engagement with dark mystic knights that had attacked one of the outposts that encircled Sanctuary during the engagement with Satan. The Caricthmian style fabric, formed from the volatile metal of the same name native to this world, was torn in multiple places. Her cloak was completely incinerated from fighting a pyro demon and the right sleeve of her dress was torn off. Her pink-colored hair was extremely disheveled, even more than usual. Her once radiant face still retained its beauty, but was now worn with heavy, tired eyes.

She stared down at Pandora who slept calmly beside her. When Pandora had arrived in Sanctuary, she had been on the verge of passing out from the amount of energy that the box had stolen from her. The chains of the chest had awoken once more and wrapped themselves around Pandora, feeding hungrily on her life energy. It had taken three of them to pry the chains off of her and place her a safe distance away. Metatron felt a small bit of relief when she heard Pandora's labored breathing settle down to an even pace.

Metatron turned her attention back to her weary comrades. "The Reversion has deprived us of most of our power. We are, essentially, powerless. However, our enemies are also effected by The Reversion." She paused for a moment to collect herself. "They have some force that is working alongside them. Something we cannot even fathom. I would say it is quite possible we have lost our only advantage."

She rested her book on the stone table and rifled through some of the pages. Metatron analyzed the contents carefully and jotted a few quick notes with a quill and paper that magically appeared from her hands. She muttered under her breath and the quill carried out her commands.

The other gods waited patiently. They knew not to disturb her during her random moments of inspiration.

After a few moments, one of the gods broke the silence. A timid looking girl with long, flowing blonde hair rose from her seat and clasped her hands behind her. She wore a white skin-tight outfit laced with gold that extended just past her thighs and reached towards her hands to wrap around her fingers to fit like a glove.

She began to play nervously with the end of her golden serpent tail as she spoke, "Metatron, um, I just have a quick question to ask."

Metatron immediately stopped her work to give the girl her full attention. "Yes Sakuya." She took note of Sakuya's trembling hands. "What's the matter?"

Sakuya released her tail and allowed it to settle on the floor behind her. "Do we, well, do we actually have to-partner with one of these Players?"

Metatron sighed with a mixture of exasperation and sympathy. "Sakuya, you told me you had already finished with the book."

Sakuya nodded. "Y-yes, I did, but, um, I closed it before I made my choice. I'm sorry but, I don't think I can do it."

There was a long silence that settled over the room. Some of the other gods glanced at each other awkwardly and exchanged a few brief whispers of conversation. If what Sakuya said was true, then it might already be too late for her to choose a Player from Metatron's book.

Leilan stared at her fellow Chinese god and heaved a heavy sigh. She rose from her seat across from Sakuya and spoke, "Metatron, I have also not chosen a Player as my partner."

Metatron stared at her in disbelief. The last person she expected this from was her.

"You too Leilan? Don't you know what that means?"

Leilan nodded. "Yes. I deemed the situation at Caramoc Cove to be a more pressing matter, so I forfeited my choice."

Metatron desperately flipped through the pages of her book upon hearing this and stepped away from it to give Leilan some room. "This is probably your last chance." She eyed both Sakuya and Leilan. "If you don't choose, then you are leaving your fate up to whoever is currently in control of this world."

Leilan and Sakuya exchanged an uneasy look. It was true that if they didn't take this opportunity now, then they could end up with a Player they didn't desire, or cast off into some forsaken dungeon. Leilan was hoping that she could avoid either of these situations, but Metatron's reaction was now giving her second thoughts.

"Trust your instincts," Metatron pleaded.

The other gods were now silent and sat forward expectantly.

A wind bearing ill omens swept past them and even the circling leaves seemed to not break the uncomfortable silence. Even Leilan's mind was devoid of sound. She was weary, and contemplation was like trying to run through water. All of her weight was now resting on her hands. Her eyes felt like they were etching the solution for her in the stone of the table.

There was a name she had seen. The name was once prominent in her mind and the name would resolve her dilemma. It was somewhere in the back of her mind, attempting to force everything unnecessary out of the way. If she could find that name again, then maybe, just maybe...

She shook herself from her reverie and walked swiftly, taking long strides in Metatron's direction, her eyes focused on the book. The book was already opened to the section she needed and she began searching through all of the Player files.

After a few minutes of analyzing names and Player profiles, she felt another presence beside her and glanced up to see Sakuya fidgeting nervously next to her. Metatron stood back a ways behind them to give the two gods enough space to think without interruption. The other gods waited for Leilan and Sakuya to complete their work.

Leilan reached the end of the Player profiles and realized that none of the names had triggered any recognition whatsoever. She flipped back to the front and scanned over the names again. Even though she was pressed for time, she slowly read each name and even went through the profiles thoroughly to make sure she didn't miss a single word that could jarr her memory.

She finally reached the end of the book, and still she could not find the name she was searching for.

Leilan motioned for Sakuya to read the book. "Give me a minute to think."

Sakuya nodded and stared at the book as if it was going to lunge at her like an alligator. She rested her hands on the pages and took a deep breath before gently turning each page.

_The name, _Leilan thought. _What was his name? Yes, that's right. It was a male. Definitely a male. A young male. What was his name?_

* * *

Two men in black suits and matching tie checked through the pages of the tablet that Ray handed to them. They were both skeptical when Ray told them that a name was missing from the list. He had insisted that he checked at least ten times to make sure that the name was missing, but they still felt the need to see for themselves. After a few minutes, one of the men exited the room to fetch one of the tech supporters in charge of the character selection.

Ray didn't even have time to blink before another man, this one dressed in casual wear, entered the room with an air of calm and took the tablet from the other man. Ray noted his Avenged Sevenfold shirt and the black beanie hat he wore, despite the fact they were in the middle of summer.

The man in the A7X shirt glanced at Ray and gave a short smirk. "Looks like you're right pal. Leilan is not in the character roster here." He handed the tablet to Ray. "Looks like someone in my department is going to be getting an earful. Let me check and make sure Leilan is in the character pool of the main system."

"Thank you," Ray replied. He went back to analyzing the list of characters. He might as well take the time memorizing all he can with the extra time, even if it did encourage a now enhanced feeling of apprehension.

The silence in the room settled around him as the two men in black stood at either side of the door, their hands clasped behind their backs with shoulders perfectly straight. Ray found it strange how these people acted. He noticed similar men and women in comparative attire who seemed to walk through the halls in a similar robotic fashion. Even their eyes seemed glassy as they carefully analyzed each person they came in contact with. They even ate like robots, methodically eating their food with the same amount of time between bites and lacking any sort of conversation. It was kind of creepy. All they needed now were some plain white walls and little silver pens that released flashes of light that mixed up your brain.

After a few more minutes, Leilan's name appeared on the last page.

* * *

Sakuya stepped away from the book and returned to her seat. The look of horror was now plain on her face. She did not want to end up with one of these Players. She didn't trust them. They came from where the Creators were, and she definitely didn't trust _them_ either.

Leilan approached the book only after Metatron beckoned for her to mirror Sakuya.

With a now steady hand, she flipped through the pages once again and her eyes widened.

There it was. The name. She recognized it immediately. The physical details, the biography, the stats, everything. His eyes. That was what triggered this recognition the most. There was something in those eyes she couldn't quite place, but they put her at ease.

She placed a hand over the page.

* * *

Ray placed his hand over Leilan's page and the screen began its scan. After a few seconds, a message appeared that read, _Character Selections Complete_. He retracted his hand and handed the tablet to one of the men in black.

"Thank you."

* * *

**Seattle, Washington**

**United States**

**May 25, 2020**

**9:00 AM**

**3 hours before launch of PADW**

"Today is that day ladies and gentleman. You will soon be embarking on a journey through a brand new world the likes of which nobody has ever seen. You will be the first to experience this vibrant world, and the whole world will be watching you."

The large man paused as he scanned the crowd of Players who eagerly awaited the rest of their instructions. Their enthusiasm pleased him greatly.

"Upon entry, you will select three starting pieces of equipment. Then, you will be instructed by the AI, Lo, on how to proceed from there through a brief tutorial so that you may adapt to the game's new mechanics."

He paused to make his next announcement even more dramatic, "When you complete the tutorial, you will then meet your starting monster partner."

The crowd erupted into cheers as they finally received this confirmation. The Players had been wondering if they would meet their partners immediately, and now their prayers had brought reward.

The man waited until the cheers died down before continuing, "In this world, your sense of time will be altered. One day in the game world is equivalent to a single hour in this world. You may enter and exit the virtual world at any time you please. Manage your time wisely. As your Gamemaster, I will ensure that you are logged in and out safely with the help of your designated supervisor. Does anyone have anymore questions?"

One individual raised his hand immediately.

"Yes?"

The young man's friends were snickering around him. He also attempted to stifle his laughter.

"How do we know when we need to take a shit?"

The audience erupted into uncontrollable laughter at this, and even the Gamemaster, in all of his professionalism, couldn't suppress a grin.

He answered, "Oh believe me, you'll know."

His answer brought forth more laughter.

Ray felt a nudge on his shoulder and turned to see Lucy motioning to him.

"We are going to meet at the Gods Descended Arena," she whispered in his ear.

Ray nodded. "There is an event scheduled on the database right?"

Keiichi suddenly grabbed him from behind in a tight hug. "This is it man! This is it! Let's kick some ass!"

Lucy joined in on the hug and they rocked back and forth as Ray tried to stay steady on his feet from all the uneven weight.

"We got this!" Lucy shouted along with the cacophony from the other excited Players.

Ray felt the enthusiasm of his friends seep into him. He wanted to maintain an air of calm and collectedness that was a little more to his character, but he just simply couldn't suppress his excitement either.

"To PADW!" Keiichi shouted.

"To PADW!" Ray and Lucy replied in unison.

The time for entry was nearly at hand.

* * *

Two men sat in the darkness of a closed-off office, separate from other sections of the building where the Players were being given their final instructions. The walls were completely sound-proof, and the mechanical sensors implanted around the room disabled any technological devices that entered the set area. Others from the outside were unaware of this room's existence. Only a select few were granted entrance, and even fewer were actually aware of their employer's intentions.

In the end, all that really mattered to these people was the paycheck and their involvement being strictly anonymous. The consequences of their actions were of no concern, just as long as they did not involve them directly. The suffering of a few Players was a necessary and expected repercussion.

One of the men interrupted the silence, "It would seem that two SSSs have appeared that are not part of our assembled team."

"Is that so? Interesting. And the chances of this being a coincidence?"

"Considerably less than one percent sir."

There was a slight pause. "No matter. We still maintain control of the system. The game was won far before it even began."

"And the others?"

"Let events play out as they may. No need for us to risk exposure for a slight inconvenience."


	5. Chapter 4- Entry

_"I've hacked into the most thorough security system in the world during a lunch break. A constantly evolving, goal-driven, malicious AI shouldn't be too much of an issue." -Rick Moore (Former Security Programmer for World Virtual Visions)_

**Chapter 4: Entry**

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Vesta Cave**

**May 25, 2020**

**11:45 AM**

**15 minutes before launch of PADW**

Pandora woke to the gentle stream of running water. A cool breeze brushed the hair from her heavy eyes as she attempted to focus on her surroundings. As her eyes adapted to the light, she saw a mixture of colors: green, yellow, red, brown, it was just a muddle of different hues and blurry shapes. Her head lolled back and forth against her meager will. Her body bumped up and down weakly, her drained arms dangling useless. She was, however, conscious of the fact that she was above ground.

She reasoned that she was being carried, and as her vision sharpened, she made out a canopy of leaves and branches above her.

A forest. She was in a forest.

Just lifting her head brought forth a dizzy spell and she allowed it to fall once again. Her cheek rested against a cool metal surface as her bearer continued up the winding dirt path.

After a few more minutes, they came to a halt, and Pandora heard familiar voices.

"This is the place Verche," the soft female voice said.

Pandora felt herself slide off the shoulder of the knight who carried her and she was rested gently on the ground. She looked up to a concealed face completely masked by a white and gold helm. A wing jutted out each side of the helm and a thin V-shaped area was left where the eyes should have been. All she saw through the visor was darkness.

The knight wore a full set of elaborate white and gold body armor. A small shield was attached to one arm and a massive broadsword was slung along his back. His angelic wings were currently retracted.

The knight, Verche, motioned for the unknown individual's attention and Pandora saw Metatron's face come into focus. The concern on her features was apparent. She reached into a satchel and produced a small bottle of some strange liquid.

Another man stood behind her wearing crimson armor and a long matching cape with gold trimming. He let down his hood and revealed a stern middle-aged face with spiked brown hair. He ran a hand over his stubble of a beard as if he were contemplating something.

Metatron settled the bottle over Pandora's lips and she could feel a cool sensation begin to crawl through her veins. A strange lukewarm feeling took over and she felt the dullness that had overcome her senses wash away. She was obviously far from recovered, but whatever Metatron had given her had provided enough strength for her to rise. Pandora took a hesitant, strained step forward with knees threatening to buckle. One leg gave out, but Verche remained at her side and rested a hand under her arm to right her gently. She nodded to the knight gratefully and examined her surroundings.

Her suspicions had been confirmed. They were in a forest, and off to the side she observed a tall cliff face that she assumed was a part of the Sacred Mt. Bakkes. A wide gaping cave greeted the group.

The older warrior in red stepped towards the cave and set the chest he was carrying on the ground. Pandora recognized it as her box.

"Wait here," the man said, "I will scout ahead."

"Thank you Cao Cao." Metatron nodded her appreciation.

Cao Cao descended into the tunnel and disappeared.

Metatron turned back to Pandora. "How are you?" she asked.

Pandora shook her head to clear the rest of the fuzziness from her vision. "Well enough. I think I can walk at least."

Metatron nodded with relief. "Great to hear. We haven't much time."

The two females noticed Verche curiously approach the mouth of the cave. He extended his wings and flew up to a ledge so he could get a better view of the surrounding area. As he scanned the vastness of the forest, his gaze fell upon a shaking of the canopy somewhere in the distance. He judged that the span couldn't have been more than a few klicks. His trained eyes focused deeper into the area of interest. They narrowed as he confirmed his suspicions.

With all due haste he dropped back down to Metatron and Pandora to report his findings. Cao Cao had just exited the cave as he landed.

"We have been discovered," Verche reported.

Metatron's eyes widened in disbelief. "How? That's impossible. Sun Quan and Athena are leading a group to hold their attention."

Cao Cao cursed under his breath, "Apparently our ruse was unsuccessful." He drew his short sword.

Verche stepped in front of the rest of his comrades and readied his broadsword, with the addition of a few adjustments to his shield to ready himself for combat.

"You'd best get moving," he suggested, "I will buy you the time needed."

Metatron was about to protest, but she stopped herself as she glanced over at Pandora, who still remained unsteady on her feet. There was no way they could ensure Pandora's safety in an all-out engagement. There was also the box to consider. If any of their enemies managed to get a hold of it...the risk was far too great. She hated leaving her comrade behind, but there was really no choice in the matter. Verche knew what had to be done, and sitting here arguing just ate away at the time Verche would be giving them. Even though the Reversion had drained them of nearly all the power gained over all this time Metatron did not doubt Verche's fighting ability. He was still a magnificent warrior. Maybe there was still a chance he could make an escape once they had distanced themselves enough. Metatron struggled to convince herself but...

Metatron nodded reluctantly. "Very well Verche. Thank you."

She grabbed Pandora's box and led the way to the cave.

Pandora walked unsteadily to Verche and hugged him around the waste. "Be safe Verche."

Verche sensed the guilt in her voice and he turned to crouch in front of her. He rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"We do what we must," he said calmly, "Stay hidden and wait for the others."

Pandora nodded sadly and stumbled back to Metatron. The two females spared one last look behind them before disappearing into the cave.

Verche halted Cao Cao with his extended blade as he moved to stand beside him. Cao Cao gave him a hard stare as he understood the meaning behind the motion.

"You need to go to Valhalla," Verche stated simply.

Cao Cao grunted, "If you think I'm leaving you to get slaughtered-"

"The Valkyries need Metatron's message. That is the task you were given," Verche interrupted with his even tone.

Cao Cao clenched his fists, not just because of the situation, but because he knew that Verche was right. Everyone had their own duties to fulfill. Verche had accepted his, so the least Cao Cao could do was uphold his end.

"I should technically be your superior," Cao Cao growled, attempting to mask his concern, "Where do you get off talking to me like that?"

With that last remark, he extended his hand and his expression softened. Verche stared at it as if the gesture was foreign to him. After an uncertain moment, he drove his sword into the ground and took Cao Cao's hand in a firm handshake.

Cao Cao nodded and made his way through the forest in the opposite direction.

A terrifying, guttural scream erupted from behind Verche in the forest. An ominous silence followed. The monsters that were approaching were out for blood. The animals had all fled and even the wind had retreated. The only sound that reached Verche's ears now was the still running water of the stream and his own even breath.

Verche drew his sword from the dirt and twirled it in his hand a few times to stretch and loosen his fingers.

* * *

**Seattle, Washington**

**United States**

**May 25, 2020**

**11:45 AM**

**15 minutes before launch of PADW**

Ray laid back in the padded reclining chair and stared at the ceiling with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension. He was elated to be entering a world that he had so long dreamed of; on the other hand, the wires and flashing lights from the many consoles that surrounded him were foreign to him, and who knows where those wires would be inserted or how it would feel to actually enter the world. He hadn't really put much thought into it until now.

The room was set up pleasantly at least. A couple of love seats, a wood table, and some other furnishings dotted the room. Ray didn't really see the point since he was going to be in the virtual world most of the time, but perhaps it was to put him at ease and to give the room a more homely feel. If the room had been painted a plain white all over with just the wires and gadgets, it would have probably felt like a patient room in some asylum.

As he mulled over his thoughts, the metal door on the other side of the room opened and a woman entered carrying a small briefcase. She adjusted her spectacles as she approached Ray. It was Emily, the supervisor he had spoken to when he finished his physical and intrinsic tests.

She walked over to the table, grabbed one of the chairs, and pulled it over next to Ray. Before taking a seat, she looked over Ray as if he were some rare specimen in a science experiment. Well, that assessment wasn't too far off. The Players were practically beta testers for the game.

Emily finally sat down, opened the briefcase, and rifled through its contents. Through the whole exchange, neither of them spoke a word. One was waiting for the other to speak: Emily awaiting anticipated questions, and Ray expecting explanations without the need for questioning in the first place.

Emily found what she was looking for and decided to break the silence. She gave him an encouraging smile that was unexpected. "So, the time has come. Excited?"

Ray shrugged. "Yeah but," he paused for a moment, searching for the right words. "Not sure how I feel about all of, well..." He gestured to the wires and flashing buttons. "This. That's all."

Emily nodded. "Don't worry. I am here to ensure that you have a safe entry."

Ray nodded and noticed that he had been holding his breath. He let it out slowly and felt better just from the simple realization. It meant he was thinking clearly again.

"These implants will just be giving the guys upstairs some neural readings to gauge the game's stability. It has already been tested through every conceivable scenario. With all the fail-safes and protocols we have in place, we have a one hundred percent safety guarantee."

Ray let out a soft chuckle. "Well, that's reassuring."

"By the way," Emily added, "I looked at some other bits of information about you. Did you start the original game late or did you just not really have time for it? Your rank was pretty low. Not that it really means anything mind you."

The humor left Ray's voice with the reminder, "Yeah, I started the game pretty late. Didn't own a phone that could run it at the time." He went back to staring at the ceiling. "The only thing that worries me a bit is not being taken seriously because of it."

Emily shrugged. "Think of it this way. It might actually make it easier to travel under the radar. You may surprise people."

Ray pondered her words for a moment. She didn't know him at all. The only things she did know were typed out on pieces of paper in someone else's own words. Maybe there was something in those reports. The possibility gave him some much needed confidence.

"A word of advice," Emily said after a short silence. Her tone had taken an immediate turn and was now dead serious. "The monsters in this world are far wiser than you think. Listen to them. They have valuable information and wisdom."

Ray eyed her curiously. He had already known that the interactions with the NPCs (non-playable characters) and monsters were supposed to be something nothing short of revolutionary, but the way she had offered her suggestion remained most prominent. It was as if, perhaps, she had interacted with the monsters herself at one point. But that would have been impossible. Nobody had entered the world before today. So what was it?

"Why are you telling me this?" Ray asked.

Emily gave him a friendly, reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I'm the type of person who likes to root for the underdog. I've had the opportunity to see how this world works from a screen. Oh, and speaking of screens, don't forget that people all over the world are going to be watching you guys in there. They will be expecting great things."

Ray groaned, "Don't remind me. Was never really good in front of an audience."

Emily laughed genuinely, "Well, if you ever want some privacy, here is another little tidbit. Dwellings that you live in, Arbor fountains, and some other areas will not have viewers watching you. So there's that."

With all this information, Ray began to suspect even more that it wasn't just because he was an underdog. No, definitely not.

Before he had the opportunity to question her more, she tossed him the virtual headgear. He caught it easily, but was still surprised that she decided to throw what was most likely a delicate and expensive piece of equipment.

Ray examined the surface of the headgear and ran his fingers over the shallow grooves. It looked like a motorcycle helmet that covered the top half of his head with a visor that laid over his eyes.

Emily attached a metal band to his wrist that would be his personal database and inserted a few wires into the ports, "Nice reflexes," she commented.

After she finished the remaining preparations with the hardware, she approached a console and ran her hand over the holographic screen. She typed in her username and password, entered his intrinsic scan settings, and then another few bits of data.

"Alright, put the headgear on," Emily said.

Ray nodded, took a deep breath, and placed the helmet on his head. The padding on the inside actually made it extremely comfortable. A Player always wants to be comfortable when gaming for hours on end, but if he was going to be focused in this virtual world, did it really matter?

Ray turned his head to Emily whose skin was now a light blue due to the glass of the visor. She was looking straight at him and had her finger held over an unseen button. By the uncertain expression on her face, she seemed to be considering something that Ray couldn't be sure of.

"Is it all good?" Ray asked.

Emily nodded quickly. "Yup. I'm going to set the timer for entry. You will be entered automatically when it hits twelve o'clock."

She pressed the button, closed her briefcase, and strode to the door with an extra spring in her step. She spared one last glance back at Ray and exited the room without another word.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Vesta Cave**

**May 25, 2020**

**11:50 AM**

**10 minutes before launch of PADW**

Verche slashed at the nearest of the taur demons, the creature's dog-like head sliced clean off and its body disappeared in a glittering shower of data particles. The other taur demons were unfazed by the death of their comrade and pushed forward in ever-growing numbers to overwhelm Verche. Their hooved feet drove into the ground and Verche found himself pushed back to the cave's entrance. The taur demons halted just outside the reach of his broadsword. They mocked him with their permanent grins splayed over their faces. The monsters tested Verche with a few quick thrusts of their pikes and tridents.

Normally in this situation, Verche would have taken to the air where he had more freedom of movement. The black devil wings on the taur demons gave them flight, but their maneuvering skills in the air were sub par at best. They were approximately a head shorter than Verche, and their wings were not developed suitably to support their size. But if Verche did choose to take advantage of the skies, the demons would have no resistance on the ground, which meant they could easily enter the cave and pursue the true prey, Metatron and Pandora. So Verche was now stuck between a literal rock and a hard place.

Verche spared a glance over his shoulder to stare at the sun above, which had turned into a bright purple with the familiar swirling tendrils akin to the glowing moon during The Reversion. The only difference was that this was the sun instead of the moon, and the light was purple rather than a fluorescent yellow. Even though the time for the Players' arrival was at hand, he knew that he was out of time.

"So close," Verche muttered.

The taur demons noticed the transformation of the sun as well, and realized they had little time to finish off their foe. They all charged in unison, some of them attempting to slip by Verche as others attacked him head on.

The Reversion may have significantly reduced Verche's power, but he was not without his eternal arsenal of weaponry. He drove his broadsword into the ground and its insertion bid forth an invisible outward force that pushed the taur demons back, sending some of them flying into their comrades at the rear and into the surrounding foliage. They recovered themselves whilst maintaining their evil grins.

Verche whispered under his breath, "I am Godly Knight of the Sky, Verche. Weapons of the light, of the sun, hear my call."

As he spoke these words, a board full of glowing orbs appeared in front of him, shining brilliantly before his eyes standing upright nearly at Verche's height of six feet. The taur demons backed up instinctively. Even they couldn't mask their surprise upon seeing the board of orbs. It was something that only Players should have, but Verche's was different.

The board consisted of five rows and six columns like a typical Player board. Players matched same color orbs in groups of three or more to give power to their monsters, depending upon the orb attributes they matched; however, Verche's orbs differed. Instead of having the typical attributes of light, dark, wood, fire, and water, Verche's orbs held symbols of weapons. For Verche, a master of light weapons, his board held infinite possibilities that only his trained eyes could discern.

He eyed the board for only a brief moment before placing an armored finger on an orb with the symbol of a scimitar etched into it. He moved it around the board. As this orb crossed other orbs, these overlapped orbs took the place of the moving orb's previous position. When he was finished, he had formed five combinations of three matched orbs for five different types of weapons.

Upon completion, the groups of orbs vanished and five beams of pale yellow light descended from some unseen points in the sky. Five weapons, one in each pillar of light, descended and embedded themselves in the ground around Verche, showering all combatants in waves of rock and dirt. The weapons smoked from the searing heat of descent, but Verche embraced the pain as he drew his first weapon from the ground. He approached a second weapon and readied this one as well.

In his hands he held a short halberd and a broadsword even more massive than his previous one. Circles with strange runes spun slowly around the blades.

The taur demons charged, undeterred by this magnificent display. Their minds and hearts were strangers to fear. The lead taur demon leaped high over Verche and stabbed out with its pitchfork, but was met by the blade of Verche's halberd. The taur demon impaled itself on the blade and struggled to free itself despite certain death. It felt no pain, and so it was unaware of death's embrace until the time had actually arrived. It disappeared in a burst of data.

A trio of demons focused on Verche's feet, but he had already extended his wings mid-thrust to push himself back a few feet to give himself room to swing the halberd horizontally. The axe blade of the halberd cut through all three demons and they vanished.

Verche was now standing a short ways into the cave and realized that the mouth of the cave opened up to a steep descent with rocks and notable paths providing multiple entrances to the tunnels below. The area provided no room to maneuver with all the debris, and the many paths would make it too easy for the taur demons to slip past. He beat his wings furiously and thrust forward, swatting a large group of demons aside with his wings and weapons in a controlled spiral. Verche now found himself just outside the entrance of the cave once more. He lashed out as four demons attempted to leap down upon him from above. An unseen alternate path around a hidden curve in the trees must have wrapped around the base of the mountain to the ledges above. His broadsword cut through them like twigs.

As he was occupied with the demons on the ledge, another eager group approached Verche from behind and stabbed up through a crease near the lower back of his armor. Verche groaned in pain as two pikes drove into the left side of his back and one through his wing. A circle of light energy swirled around his halberd upon his command and he launched a beam of energy upon the remaining demons on the ledges. The ledge and demons exploded in a shower of light. Those that had managed to escape Verche's attack were crushed by boulders and rock as they fell to the ground. This gave him the opportunity to focus on the demons still driving their weapons into his blind side. He whirled about and cut through his attackers, severing limbs and damaging morale. The halberd in his hand flickered out and vanished.

Verche immediately rushed to one of his other weapons and lifted a double-edged axe from the ground. He adjusted his weight to achieve a new dual wielding stance. The axe was slightly heavier than the halberd, and the weight was distributed more towards the center rather than the end.

More taur demons made a break for the cave and Verche batted them aside with his outstretched wings and twirling heavy weapons. His enemies soon realized that there was no way they would be rushing past him until he was subdued. All attempts at distraction were abandoned. Dozens of taur demons braced their weapons in both hands and attacked from the front and both sides. Verche managed to parry aside most of the weapons, but a few pierced through and he felt another sharp pain as tridents and pikes drove marginally through his side armor. A taur demon received a sword to the chest and the sword vanished just as the halberd did. Verche lashed out and his metaled fist broke the jaw of another demon, sending it careening through its allies' lined formation.

Verche took this opportunity to grab another weapon, this one a spear, and stabbed through the chest of a demon that had strayed too far from its squad. Its partner, who was unfortunate enough to be behind it, was also impaled through the stomach. As Verche prepared to withdraw his spear, two taur demons jumped up on either side of him. Only one weapon was now free; there was only an opportunity to slice one of the demons with his axe. The second demon landed and drove its pike into Verche's shoulder. Verche relaxed his body slightly to better endure the pain of the expected blow, but he felt the arm holding his spear begin to weaken and sag. He dropped his spear, grabbed the demon on his shoulder roughly by the neck, flung it to the ground, and stomped a metal boot on its face.

Verche thrust his axe forward and crushed the pharynx of another charging demon. In the midst of his forward motion, another weapon entered his leg and he felt the leg collapse underneath him. He managed to bend his leg just enough to land heavily on one knee to maintain an uncomfortable crouched defense. He looked at his leg and saw a trident driven into the back of his knee. One of the demons had opted to throw its weapon rather than come into range of Verche's expertly wielded weapons. He jerked the weapon out with a grunt.

The wounded warrior miraculously found the strength to will his wounded leg forward and approached his final weapon that a group of demons were struggling to pull out of the ground. It was impossible for the demons to draw the blade, it was already bound to Verche.

Verche cut down the demons that circled his weapon and his axe flickered out. He forced his final weapon from the dirt with his functioning arm and readied himself for what he assumed would be the last bout. One of his arms now hung uselessly at his side, blood dripping from his burned fingertips, and the limp in one of his legs was all too palpable. If it weren't for The Reversion draining most of his power, he just may have been able to handle these lesser monsters despite their massive numbers. The knight, in his gravely weakened state, gave the demons all the confidence they needed, and they strode forward with no concern for their own lives.

Verche breathed a small bit of thanks, for the demons had completely forgotten about Metatron and Pandora. His mighty display provided all the distraction they needed.

Verche swung his newly acquired weapon, a scimitar, in an upper arc and cut through the chest of a taur demon that strayed too far from its companions in its eagerness. The momentum of his swing made it impossible for him to cut the next taur demon to his side so he landed a devastating kick into the demon's face and sent its crumpled form into the nearest tree. To his other side, three more demons drove their tridents into his last strong leg. Three tri-blades tore through muscle and tendon, rendering it useless. Verche ignored the pain, swinging his scimitar wildly in desperation and completely destroyed the attacking taur demons with his undisciplined attacks. Finesse had been abandoned. Form had been discarded. All that was left was to kill as many of the bastards as possible for his own satisfaction.

He fought from his knees, both legs weakened with a useless arm hanging at his side.

After what seemed like an eternity, his last weapon flickered out. He stared at his empty hands. Typically in this situation, anyone else, seeing the absence of their weapon, would have deemed the battle over. But not Verche. Not him.

He spared one last look at the sky and saw that the light tendrils had disappeared from around the sun, _So very close._

The demons let out a howl of triumph and threw themselves at Verche. He fought as best he could with the remaining strength in his one arm. A few demons fell to the power of his fist: jaws broken, throats crushed, and bones shattered, but soon even that was extinguished. Tridents and pikes drove into his stomach area, shoulders, and lower back. They tore viciously at his once beautiful, grand wings to the point where the nerves grew numb. He lay their in a damaged heap, blood flowing freely from his grievous wounds, his golden armor splattered and tarnished by the blood of his enemies and his own.

On the ground he saw one of the ornamental wings that had been cut off his helmet. Hooves stomped over it and buried it into the dirt. With what energy he had left, he reached out for it earnestly, hooves and blades clouding his vision as they beat against his helmet. He grasped the token firmly in his metal fingers. Before his eyes surrendered to darkness, he drew the broken wing to his chest and held it like a cherished infant.

* * *

**?**

**?**

**May 25, 2020**

**12:00 PM**

**Prepare for Launch**

White. All around was this pure milky white. Rays of light sparkled with tiny particles all over and streams of numbers, letters, and symbols flowed within, shifting colors according to the light's refractions. It was impossible to tell where was up or down or if he was floating or falling.

Ray's eyes adjusted to the blinding beams and he realized that some of the data streams flowed through his body. They flowed through his hands, legs, feet, everywhere on his body. It was accompanied by a brief tingling sensation as if his limbs had fallen asleep.

The silence of the data world was interrupted by a mechanical female voice, "_Welcome Player. Please stand-by as final configurations are implemented._"

Ray felt his limbs tighten. The stiffness was not painful, but the lack of control instituted a brief panic. One of the rays of light began to bend and focused its attention on Ray. The stream of data passed silently into him.

"_Downloading intrinsic settings. Adjusting settings accordingly to updates. Applying intrinsic settings in 3,2,1...Brace for pulse."_

Ray felt his body jerk upwards as if he had been applied a shock from an AED; his back arched and his fingers flexed against his will. It felt as if his muscles were being stretched taught and his limbs extended. After only a few seconds, his body relaxed. There had been no pain throughout the entire process.

"_Intrinsic settings applied. Initiating neural safety protocols 1-37. Connecting manual fail-safe links 1-7...success. No complications with connection."_

The white area melted away and was replaced by glowing, lime green grids encompassing a pitch blackness. The rays of data streams faded to nothingness and Ray now found himself standing. He tapped his foot on the unseen surface a few times to be sure. Below the invisible surface he observed more grids that pulsated with lines of some unknown energy.

_"Please stand on the white grid Player."_

One of the black grids with the green edges began to glow white and Ray did as he was told. The light rose above him and consumed his form. As he looked at his arms he saw black metal wrist guards appear and his hands became enveloped in dark leather gloves. His chest and back were now covered by a thin onyx cuirass with three layers of overlapping metal. Ebony shin guards and flexible waist armor appeared. His shoulders were armored with low-rounded pauldrons. To finish the outfit off, he slipped his arms into a long, and surprisingly light, black coat.

When the light disappeared, Ray gave his body another look and grinned like an excited child introduced to its first ever toy store. He flicked his finger upon his armor and it responded with a ring of metal.

_Oh my god this is so badass._

_"Please make three gear selections."_

As soon as the female voice finished, areas of the grids slid open to make way for the rising dark green racks that appeared. They locked into place with a soft click and Ray could see hundreds upon hundreds of weapons and shields on display.

_Okay, this is pretty cool too,_ Ray thought, unable to contain his excitement.

He lifted the closest weapon, a short sword, and felt its weight in his hands and the roughness of its leather grip. It was incredible. It felt so real, and he could even feel the coolness seep through his gloves and settle into his hands from running them over the blade. He tested some other weapons: axes, halberds, pikes, scimitars, spears, broadswords, shurikens, maces, katanas, shields, bows, hell, even nunchucks. Each one had its own balance of weight, grip, and size for any range of individuals.

Ray stopped himself as he happened upon a rack of katanas. One of the swords caught his eye and he gently lifted it, one hand on the pommel, and the other settled on the flat of the blade with his fingertips. He estimated that the blade itself must have been a little over two feet in length, a pretty typical size for samurai swords. Ray extended his right arm and held the sword parallel to the ground to test its weight. He nodded with satisfaction as his arm began to strain, but did not tremble from the weight. A fine weight indeed. Nice balance.

The hilt of the sword danced through his fingertips and the blade made majestic, whirling arcs, cutting through the air smoothly from the sword's fine craftsmanship. It did not falter in its course and it obeyed Ray's will with no flaws to interrupt its cutting motions.

Satisfied, Ray retrieved the blade's scabbard. He slid the blade into its home and slung the weapon over his back.

The next few racks he ignored. He did not want another primary weapon. Instead, he searched for a shorter, lighter weapon for his secondary.

As he scoured the remaining racks, he happened upon a strange gadget comprised of black leather that attached to the wrist. He approached it curiously and also noticed upon closer inspection a web of leather straps with a small switch between two of them with a wire that extended to the bulk of the leather. A metal compartment was attached to the underside with another small lever with a clear path behind it where it could be pulled back.

He decided to try on the leather gadget and he slid his hand through it easily. He noticed that the web of thin leather straps fit between his fingers and the switch was just within reach of his thumb. He pulled the buckle so it fit tightly on his wrist. Flexing his fingers was actually rather easy and his fingers were not impeded in the least.

Ray drew his thumb back and flicked the switch and, to his surprise, a hidden blade appeared from the metal compartment on the underside of his wrist.

Ray let out a laugh as he realized what he had just discovered, "A hidden blade," he said out loud between chuckles, "This is some Assassins Creed stuff right here."

There was no question about it; he was definitely going to keep this. It would take quite a bit of practice to make it a viable weapon in an engagement, but it was a weapon that he figured would really pay off in the long run.

His final weapon was a quick choice, a short scimitar that he could attach to his waste for quick access. The hilt was about the width of his hand. It would be a rather simple one-handed weapon.

He returned to the glowing circle and the female voice resounded through the grid space once again.

_"Please wait. Your Puzzle and Dragons Personal Database is being submitted."_

As soon as her last word was spoken, Ray's free wrist began to glow. Lines of light shifted over various places and seemed to be etching the database like an artist would sketch a drawing. When the glow had taken a specific shape, it exploded in a puff of light dust.

Attached to Ray's wrist was a teal, banded device with three slots on its underside. A few flat, faded buttons ran along its surface. It reached halfway to his elbow and it almost seemed like it was embedded into his skin.

_"Your personal database has completed updates and transferred. Access your device to view inventory, analyze the world map, highlight specific locations, organize your monster box, manage your team, and more. Prepare for transfer to Departure Tower."_

Ray felt his body begin to lighten and he vanished in a pillar that connected him to the data stream.


	6. Chapter 5- Departure

**A/N: Sooooooo, yeah...I really have no announcements to make this time I guess...Well, here it is! Yay! :D**

**And a big thank you to everyone who reviewed some of the previous chapters. It means a whole lot to me. I can't thank some of you personally through the site since some were from guests and the site wouldn't allow me to reply to some reviews. So thank you very much for your reviews!**

**I guess I did have something to say. Oh well. Enjoy!**

**Oh! And a quick definition of a term that fandom blind readers might not know:**

**_Skyfall:_ When playing match-three puzzle games, orbs drop down from an unseen area that is above and outside the board where you match the orbs. Every once-in-a-while, these orbs that drop from above can make more combinations that increase your number of combos. Skyfall drops are purely based on luck and just happen to drop where a combo can take place. Some Players argue that there is an algorithm in certain games that can be discovered to actually plan skyfalls strategically. However, this is only taken now as speculation. **

* * *

_"...I can embrace my compromises/or organize my towering lies/quelling the trifles of life/while embracing this purposeful strife/(Shout it out)/We'll make it there I'm sure/(Sacrifice)/For me you are the cure/For you I'll pay the price..." -lines from the Puzzle and Dragons "World" game opening theme (sung by Rina Nakamura and Keith Aitken)_

**Chapter 5-Departure**

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Departure Tower**

**In-Game Timer: Day 1**

**1:37 PM **

Ray stood upon a flat, stone surface shrouded by a thick fog. The area was devoid of wind and a slight chill settled in the air.

The newly awakened warrior analyzed his surroundings cautiously. Nothing hostile seemed to be in his midst, so he relaxed himself and adjusted his pauldrons to a more comfortable position on his shoulders.

As he strode forward through the fog he came upon a square hole in the stone with a staircase leading into the darkness below. He advanced past this a few feet to scan for anything that lay beyond, but he found himself standing at the edge of the stone, gazing down through empty air. He could not discern how far down the distance was due to the fog. He decided that nothing else was to be found, so he backtracked to the staircase and descended into the dark. Ray ran his hands over the wall as he progressed down the spiral staircase and soon came upon a doorway with a faint light emanating from it.

He proceeded with a quickened pace, taking two steps at a time, and found himself in a massive room with a ceiling comprised of squares with fluorescent light from some unknown source. The walls consisted of panels of stacked stone. The construction of the walls appeared to be unstable in Ray's opinion, but perhaps its thickness attributed to its ability to support the unyielding weight of the ceiling above.

The sound of Ray's leather boots padded silently, preventing his footfalls from echoing throughout the empty room. He drew his katana from the scabbard on his back slowly to avoid making any sudden or threatening movements. It was a large room, and there was not a single enemy to be found. This didn't feel normal. Open spaces were typically a source for conflict in games, providing area for the Player to maneuver and for the insertion of multiple enemies large and small, especially large.

As he crept forward, a dark oval shape began to form from the darkness where the boxes of light on the ceiling ended. He lowered himself and leveled his sword parallel with the ground and brought the hilt level with his eyes. His elbows evened out as the shape drew closer. Just as he was about to shift his feet, a small white creature in half an egg shell floated in front of him.

It had small wings on its back that kept it afloat and two small paw-like hands resting over the shell where its belly should have been. The white monster looked like a child's plush toy, nestled comfortably in the shell. A bright yellow star was etched into the front of the shell. It couldn't have been much larger than the size of a basketball.

"A tamadra," Ray breathed with amazement.

It smiled cutely at Ray and hovered near his face. Ray reached out with a bit of hesitation, but the tamadra made no signs of moving. He rested his hand on the monster's head and it snuggled against his palm happily and made a soft purring sound like a cat. It seemed to sense that Ray was not a threat.

_I'm patting a tamadra. I'm petting a monster!_ Ray thought with wonder.

Ray became so entranced by this wonderful moment that he failed to notice a hulking figure approaching his blind side. The tamadra spotted it first, its eyes widened fearfully and it grabbed Ray's arm, urging him to follow. He took the time to glance over his shoulder to see a massive blood-red figure dragging its massive feet along the stone. A wooden club scraped along the floor behind it, held by a massive hand riddled with spikes on the knuckles. One of its arms was encased in sharply edged armor with a curved blade protruding at the elbow. Its lower jaw overlapped its upper lip and two long fangs snaked along its mouth. Its eyes were a darkened yellow, but Ray could tell exactly where it was looking as a cloudy outer membrane shifted in direction.

The creature straightened itself and heaved its shoulders back, letting out a terrifying roar that echoed throughout the dungeon and showered the floor with its putrid saliva.

Ray and the tamadra drew back instinctively from the monster as it took another intimidating step forward.

_Holy shit! _Ray thought with a mixture of pure amazement and a touch of fear.

He couldn't believe how real the monster was. He was even more amazed by the fact that his own senses confirmed this supposed realness. Ray could smell its rancid breath, feel the ground shake as the monster strode forward, and he could hear the distinct cracking of the stone. The physical aspects of the monster were also astounding: the slight wrinkles in its facial features, the bending of its toes as they planted on the ground, and the visible retractions of its muscles; all of it was incredibly detailed.

A familiar voice interrupted his racing thoughts and seemed to emanate from the walls. It was the same mechanical female voice from before.

"_This is a final message for the Player, Ray Andylon. Welcome to the Departure Tower. The battle tutorial will now commence. Upon completion of the battle tutorial, you will have access to the Pirugan Continent where you will meet your monster partner. I wish you luck on your journey."_

The end of the message was the monster's cue to charge forward. It did so recklessly, and waved the club over its head with no attempt at control. It brought the club down hard, but Ray easily anticipated the monster's strike. The monster's attacks were slow and exaggerated, but they definitely packed a heavy punch, as attested by the cracked stone floor.

Broken stone showered around Ray and his small companion. One particularly large piece of debris glanced off of Ray's shoulder, and he instinctively reached out with his arm to touch the bruised area.

His hand flinched with a moment of realization. _Pain?_

Ray ran for his life. He wanted to get as much distance between himself and the monster as possible so he could analyze it with the personal database on his wrist.

The sting in his arm was nothing he couldn't handle. In fact, judging from the size of the debris, it should have hurt a hell of a lot more. The pain in his arm almost immediately subsided, but he wasn't about to stick around to see what a direct hit from the ogre's club would feel like.

When he felt the distance was sufficient, he activated the database and a menu appeared. He immediately found a holographic symbol on the bottom left of the menu consisting of a circle and bending lines. A giant 'A' was also at its center. He ran his hand over the symbol and the circle discarded the lines and enlarged itself, taking over the menu. A line extended outwards and wrapped around the epicenter like some sort of radar. After only a few seconds, an analysis report appeared.

_Monster: Armored Dark Ogre/Attribute: Dark/Health:2,000/ATK: 150/DEF:0/Active Skill:Resolve/Active Skill: Fury_

Ray reacted just in time to avoid the ogre's next heavy attack. Its speed took Ray by surprise as he focused on the analysis. He jumped into a shoulder roll and came up into his stance with his katana at the ready.

As the ogre approached, Ray's tamadra partner floated down, its face was puffed up with a determined expression. However, Ray could see that the poor monster was trembling slightly, and its little hands were bundled up into something akin to a clenched fist.

"You're going to help me fight?" Ray asked in disbelief.

The tamadra turned to him and nodded.

_This is far too real._

Ray narrowed his eyes at the ogre that now stared down at them, its mouth was contorted into what Ray took for a sneer.

_Doesn't seem like a very fair tutorial, but screw it,_ Ray thought as he rested his hand over the slots on the underside of the database attached to his wrist.

After a few seconds, a barrier enshrouded Ray in a generously sized semicircle. Layers of faded blue light emitted from its surface, making it just barely visible. As the barrier formed, a holographic board appeared from nowhere and presented Ray with an array of scattered orbs of varying colors. He eyed the orbs: light, dark, wood, water, and fire. Next to the board of orbs was an image of the tamadra with all its stats, attributes, and skills listed. What was most interesting about the tamadra's attributes was that it encompassed all of them. This was considerably different from the first Puzzle and Dragons. On the opposite side of the board were Ray's stats: health, level, attribute, etc. Ray was surprised to see that he actually had an attribute associated with his character in the first place. He was even more puzzled as he noted the purple crescent moon symbol that appeared next to his name.

_I'm a dark attribute?_

He focused his attention back to the board and threw together a few quick three-match combinations of dark, light, and fire orbs to see what kind of effect it would have on the tamadra's attack. Monsters typically had a primary attribute (and a sub-attribute in some forms). It was incredible to think that some monsters could possibly have up to five. Perhaps it was just for the sake of the tutorial, but it was worthy of consideration nonetheless.

The tamadra dodged the ogre's clumsy attack and positioned itself next to the monster's face. It squeezed its eyes tightly shut as Ray completed the orb combinations and issued the power to it. The monster's tiny paw hands conjured a glass orb with three smaller orbs swirling around inside. The three orbs contained a flame symbol, a sun symbol, and the symbol of a crescent moon. They were red, yellow, and purple respectively. The three orbs were the same as the ones that Ray completed with his combinations.

The tamadra readied the glass orb and flung it at the ogre's face. The glass orb shattered and emitted purple, golden, and crimson beams of energy that drove in all directions, embedding themselves in the enemy's arms, legs, and any other limbs within their path. One beam even shattered the ogre's club, incinerating it in a final explosion of wood and splinters.

"Tama!" the tamadra shouted triumphantly in its high-pitched, cute voice.

It backed away instinctively as the ogre blindly grasped at its tiny adversary.

An image formed next to the tamadra on Ray's holographic screen and the ogre's health bar appeared briefly. The bar lowered and the number changed from two thousand to one thousand four hundred. The tamadra's attack was only one hundred. Ray reasoned that there was such a thing as critical hits in this world as well. Hitting the ogre in the face, along with the three combinations of orbs allowed for extra damage. He didn't know exactly how the damage system worked in this world compared to the first game, but so far it was pretty darn cool.

More orbs dropped down on his board and he decided to switch it up a bit to see how some other combinations of orbs worked with the tamadra. He put together another quick combination of water, wood, and light orbs.

As he finished, the orbs vanished and a giant red 'X' appeared over the screen and the remaining orbs faded to gray.

_What the hell?_

The tamadra's attack did not appear and it glanced back worriedly at Ray. Ray's eyes widened as the wounded ogre rose and brought back its fist to crush the poor egg monster.

"Watch out!" Ray shouted as he disengaged the barrier that surrounded him.

The tamadra didn't register his warning in time and took a glancing blow as it simply moved instinctively in any random direction. The little monster rolled along the floor and came to rest on its back. It forced itself to roll over to free its wings to take flight, but it was too late. The ogre was already upon it and lifted its foot in the air to crush the tiny creature.

As the ogre was about to bring its massive foot down, Ray leaped in, katana drawn, and sliced at the beast's achilles heel. He also took the opportunity to whirl about and stab into the top of the monster's foot.

The ogre howled in pain and fell on its rear end grasping its foot.

Ray rushed over to the tamadra and knelt beside it protectively.

"You okay bud?" Ray asked.

Ray noticed that the star on the tamadra's shell was scuffed with a gray line cutting across it.

Ray shook his head apologetically. "I'm sorry. Your shell got messed up. I forgot that the board locks up at intervals."

The tamadra righted itself and tested its wings a few times before taking flight. It rested on Ray's shoulder and patted him on the head.

Ray was about to respond, but stopped himself as a thought dawned on him. He was communicating with a monster in this virtual world. The creature understood him and responded just like any other individual in the real world might. If this little tamadra creature had this ability, then what would it be like when he met the other monsters, especially the ones that assumed a human form? His excitement returned at an almost frightening level. After all, this new world was what he always wanted. What he always dreamed of.

He shook himself from his reverie and turned back to his little comrade. "Well pal, looks like its time to double-team this freak."

The tamadra narrowed its eyes at the ogre and beat its paws together.

Ray's personal database beeped and he glanced down to see that the board was now ready. The previously matched orbs emitted their energy and the tamadra conjured another glass ball with the swirling orb symbols inside.

Ray considered returning to puzzle mode to solve another board, but he discarded the thought almost immediately in favor of fighting alongside his new friend.

He silenced the alert on the database and nodded to the tamadra. "Ready bud?"

The tamadra returned the nod with renewed vigor upon seeing that Ray had opted to stand alongside it in the engagement.

"Let's do this!" Ray shouted.

They charged at the wounded ogre and brought their weapons to bear.

* * *

**Seattle, Washington**

**United States**

**May 25, 2020**

**Real World Time- 12:02 PM**

Thomas Malkin sat back in his seat lazily as another corporate individual ascended the stairs leading up to the podium on the stage. This new person, wearing a typical formal sports coat, shook hands with the previous speaker and made his way to the podium to deliver his own speech. He settled himself at the podium and opened with a similar line that mirrored the rest of the speeches.

Malkin already found himself lacking interest. The speaker's words were already becoming muffled, and the prominent whispers of the audience contrasted to create an unpleasant hum of noise. He ran a hand over his buzzed, graying hair just for the sake of the movement. As the speech continued, he moved to his stubble of a beard instead. He had always been rather fidgety, but the sheer boredom was getting to him, and he found that the twitch of his leg was unsatisfactory as a distraction. The persistent headache that had settled in from the early morning still remained no matter how many pills he forced down.

He took a sip of his wine and smacked his lips together to mask the lingering, bitter taste. Wine had never been his beverage of choice, but he drank it slowly for the sake of appearance.

The hum of noise subsided as a young man in similar formal attire collapsed into the seat next to Malkin. The two men might as well have been complete opposites when it came to appearance. The young man's hair was black and thick with brown eyes filled with energy. He also wasn't yet developing the bit of beer gut that Malkin had begun to nurture over the years.

What brought these two individuals together was not based off of physical appearance. Their similarities involved ambition and a constant strive for improvement. It also helped that they both worked hand in hand with a massive collaboration for the lofty virtual project that was currently underway.

The young man sat there for a moment pretending to listen to the speech before he spoke.

"So, did I miss anything?" he asked simply, already knowing the answer.

Malkin shrugged. "Not sure. Think this guy works for virtual security."

The young man smiled. "You don't seem too worried. They'll be the guys monitoring the AI you provided."

This comment didn't seem to pique Malkin's interest in the least. "That so? Doesn't matter really. As long as they took care of their end prior to Player entry, my AI won't be a problem."

"You sure seem confident."

"Lo is perfect. Never had any problems with her. As long as the Gamemaster and his subordinates follow the guidelines I laid out, then I foresee no problems."

The young man found it amusing how Malkin spoke of his AI. It was as if he saw the intelligent construct as an actual human being, even referring to her by name.

The man took a sip of his wine and frowned deeply at the drink in disgust. Malkin allowed himself a wry grin. Even though their difference in age spanned several decades, he found that this boy was someone he could get along with given their similar tastes.

The young man was Christopher Alsheimer, CEO of World Virtual Visions. He was one of those boy wonders who entered college when he should have been in his sophomore year of high school; the type of boy who corrected the computer instructor on how to better organize programming code, or how to correct any problems with the coding outright. He took daring actions for the sake of curiosity in his younger years, entering college campuses and sneaking into buildings so he could work on his virtual programs. A kid like him wasn't going to have the advanced software needed on his home desktop to complete his ambitious projects. He probably could have developed a method to pirate the software off the internet, but sometimes it came through incomplete, and it was difficult to receive necessary updates with stolen software. Besides, he was the adventurous type and actually reveled in the excitement of potentially being caught.

He founded World Virtual Visions at the age of twenty-four and developed the virtual gear necessary to operate Puzzle and Dragons _World_ shortly after.

Malkin had to admire a kid who came from nothing; someone who built himself to where he was today in such a short time. He may have been a genius, but it wasn't as if he didn't work to reach his position.

The two men noticed that the next speech had concluded and a familiar executive was now approaching the podium. The man adjusted his wide spectacles and shuffled some unseen papers. His tie was slightly crumpled and one of his secretaries had done a poor job of adjusting his collar.

Malkin sighed heavily. "And here we go. Successor to the great Shinji Takamura. What a joke."

Malkin took another sip of his wine. He was not nearly buzzed enough for the speech he was about to hear.

Alsheimer mimicked his friend's exasperation and propped his elbow on the metal arm of his chair. "Kurosaki isn't all that bad I suppose. I mean, he isn't Takamura sure, but who is?"

Malkin admired his optimism, but the boy was green in this department. Alsheimer had been in the business world for only a few years where he had spent decades.

Malkin was aware of the kind of genius that Takamura had been. The kind of genius who rivaled, or, more accurately, surpassed him. Kurosaki was another story. How he had managed to attain Takamura's position was beyond Malkin's understanding. The guy was a joke, a complete sham. He was nothing more than a figurehead in the whole scheme of things. His position was a title, not a symbol of competence.

Without Takamura, the advanced virtual world wouldn't have existed in the first place. He was the creator of the universal code that allowed the world to operate itself without any interference from the outside. And the denizens of the virtual world operated separately from this system with their own free will. That was Takamura's crowning achievement: a world that operated just as the real world did with individuals that could forge their own destinies and shape the world.

The virtual world project functioned with three crucial components. Takamura was the one who had developed the code that runs within the virtual world and supports its denizens. Alsheimer's virtual technology provides Players with access to Puzzle and Dragons "World." Malkin's AI regulates the world and implements necessary adjustments with any potential discrepancies along with data collection. They were "The Big Three" corporations of the virtual world: Takamura Programming Development (TPD), World Virtual Visions (WVV), and Future Artificial Networking (FAN).

They were like the three musketeers, but now one of the musketeers was gone.

"Lung cancer right?" Alsheimer asked.

Malkin nodded and spoke with a grim tone, "Yeah. Docs said he had six months to live. And what happens? He dies in three weeks. In this day and age how in the hell do you mess that up?"

"I'm sure Takamura would've appointed a more competent successor if he had known that."

"Who knows? Takamura was so absorbed in his work that I guess he didn't really think about it. After all, he was expecting to see his world before he went."

Alsheimer nodded at this with sympathy for Takamura. "A damn shame."

Kurosaki concluded his speech and stepped down to allow yet another individual to take the stand. It was the Gamemaster. His appearance was the indication that the corporate opening ceremony was now reaching its end.

"I am pleased to announce ladies and gentleman that every single Player has now entered the virtual world. Each entry went smoothly and there are no issues to report."

The crowd erupted into huge applause, and even Malkin and Alsheimer joined in.

"The developers and designers from Gungho would like to especially thank Thomas Malkin of Future Artificial Networking and Christopher Alsheimer of World Virtual Visions for providing the virtual gear and AI that made this world possible. Thank you very much for your contributions to this technological breakthrough."

More applause followed. Malkin and Alsheimer gave a quick wave as all eyes were directed upon them. Malkin could tell that Alsheimer was slightly uneasy being put in the spotlight. The kid would get used to it with his future successes.

As the Gamemaster continued his speech, the man named Kurosaki, who had made his speech prior, approached Malkin and Alsheimer's table and greeted them with a deep bow. He gestured to one of the seats politely.

"May I have a seat?" he asked.

Malkin nodded. "By all means."

Malkin did well to hide the irritation from his curt response.

Kurosaki took his seat and nodded to each of them in turn. He seemed to have just noticed that his collar was popped up and readjusted it to the best of his ability before finally speaking.

"I just wanted to thank both of you gentleman for agreeing to provide your assistance for this massive undertaking."

He gave another quick bow from his seat before continuing. "As I'm sure you are both fully aware, I am not Takamura, and never will be Takamura. But I assure you that the company's ambitions have not wavered in the slightest. I owe Takamura at least that much for how well he has treated me."

Alsheimer and Malkin glanced at each other, but made no indication of replying to this statement.

Kurosaki took this as a sign to continue. "That being said, there has been a rather sizable hiccup in the PADW project. I would like to discuss this with you gentleman at the earliest possible convenience."

Alsheimer spoke first, "Why don't we discuss it now if it is such a problem?"

Kurosaki glanced around the room as if he thought someone might be eavesdropping on their conversation.

"To put it simply, this information is above nearly everyone's paygrade who is involved with this project. We do not need to necessarily deal with this issue immediately, but I would prefer we address it at the earliest possible convenience."

Malkin cocked an eyebrow at this. "Keeping this all on the hush-hush? Must be pretty serious." He took another sip of his wine out of habit. "I need to provide a few more last-minute instructions to the game operators concerning the handling of my AI. Other than that, I am pretty much free."

Alsheimer added, "I have to get my guys set up on the data link with Malkin's AI before the game officially takes off after the tutorials. I will be free as well afterward."

"That is absolutely fine," Kurosaki said with relief.

He thanked the two men once more and hurriedly headed off to speak with another group of individuals at a different table.

Malkin and Alsheimer exchanged a concerned look that they didn't want to make apparent in Kurosaki's presence.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Departure Tower**

**Game Timer: Day 1**

**2:15 PM **

The remaining trials of the Departure Tower proved to be far more manageable than the introductory battle with the dark ogre. Ray and his new companion took their time testing different abilities and combinations with orbs and with their team coordination. A nice skyfall of orbs had provided the tamadra with combinations of all five attributes, and the glass ball that resulted converged with the tamadra, giving it the ability to phase through enemy attacks for a short time. Even previously weak monsters in the original Puzzle and Dragons now held hidden power. With the help of Players, monsters could unlock their true potential.

The duo exited the tower full of energy and high spirits. Ray shielded his eyes from the blazing sun that pierced through the thin clouds. The fog had lifted, and the chill was replaced by a cool, comfortable breeze.

A mountain pass lay before them and winded downwards with rocks strewn along a dirt path.

Ray began his descent, but halted when he noticed that his companion did not follow. The tamadra simply floated there still smiling.

"What's the matter?" Ray approached the tamadra with a touch of concern in his voice.

His question was answered by a small spray of data particles that floated from the base of the tamadra's shell. The base of the shell began to disappear.

"Wait, no-" Ray started. He realized what was happening. The tamadra was disappearing.

The tamadra flew next to Ray and patted him on the head. The monster didn't seem concerned, which put Ray at ease. Still, he was sad to see the monster go. They had bonded in the tower together, and Ray was understandably reluctant to let the little guy go.

Ray forced his worry aside with the tamadra's assurances. He smiled and patted the tamadra in return. It closed its eyes happily at Ray's touch. His hand didn't leave the small creature's head until it had completely disappeared. Its data particles drifted away on the wind.

_Sure hope I see you again pal._

He knew that the tamadra wasn't gone from the world. Maybe one day he would meet it again.

Ray started down the path. As he carefully picked his way through the rocks he took the time to run his hand over the dirt. He clasped the dirt in his hands and let it fall from between his fingers. It felt just like, well, dirt. The realness of the world still amazed him. It would definitely take some getting used to.

It wasn't long before the pass opened up to flat land that extended to a cliff on all sides. He could see for miles around. To his left was an expanse of forest that extended as far as the eye could see. To his right, the mountain range continued and lowered its jagged body into a distant lake.

Ray's focus was then held by the individual who sat a short way from where he was standing. A young woman sat upon an outcropping of rock, her arms crossed and resting on the pole of a halberd, the blade driven into the ground. Her elegant red and gold Chinese dress and long, ponytailed light brown hair blew in the wind. Her rainbow wings were folded behind her, their gold armor shining under the sun.

The sight of her near the edge of the cliff with the blue sky behind her was absolutely mesmerizing. Ray found himself lost for words.

She smiled. "It's nice to finally meet you Ray."


	7. Chapter 6- The Abyssal

**A/N: A big thanks to everyone who has taken the time to leave a review on this story. I can't thank all of you personally through PM since sometimes there is no option available, but thank you so much. This chapter is a little late, but a few more introductions are in order. **

**A definition for those who are fandom blind:**

**NPC (non-playable character)- this is typically a character that interacts with a player in a video game. They usually provide quests or give out valuable bits of information about the world. They are a character not assumed by the actual player. Obviously this world of Puzzle and Dragons is much more advanced though.  
**

* * *

"_What is it that makes us real? Well, define 'real.'" -Anonymous_

**Chapter 6-The Abyssal**

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Castle of Satan**

**In-game Timer: Day 1**

**1:30 PM**

The Divine Queen Hera strode down the long, dank hallway completely at ease, even with the tendrils of darkness that crept between the cracks of the obsidian hallway. This was the deepest she had ever been in the castle, and the malevolent presence that she was warned of that resided in the deepest bowels was near. Its aura was heavy, and the cold touch of the dark tendrils prodded her lavender skin as if testing her now wavering composure.

She didn't want to admit it to herself, but this unknown, otherworldly being exuded a power that was beyond even her understanding. This realization suddenly brought forth an alien feeling known as apprehension. She felt her air of calm begin to slip away. It was irritating how quickly one's emotions could transform in the face of the unknown.

After what seemed like an eternity, the hallway widened substantially, and Hera found herself standing before a massive wall of stone native to the abyss. It was stone that did not belong in this world, but it was here, thanks to the dark force that lurked just beyond.

Hera found that her black caricthmian armor was uncomfortable, and she worked her hands over the wrist and shin guards to readjust them. Her smooth black-scaled tail slid stiffly along the floor, and the body armor she wore also felt too tight, but this part was nothing really new. It was difficult to find armor in this world that actually fit properly to her alluring figure.

She removed her elaborate circlet from her head and let it vanish from her hands. She then let her brunette and red hair flow down its full length to her waist. Her long, elongated horns actually managed to make her appearance even more divine and seductive.

She would not allow herself to enter the chamber beyond without full control over her emotions.

And she now knew why her armor was so uncomfortable. She noticed the glimmer of sweat on her arms and cursed herself for her body's honesty. There was nothing to be done. Sitting and brooding would only serve to make her more uneasy.

With that realization, she placed her hand at the very center of the wall, and a thin vertical line appeared that extended to the floor and ceiling. Without further prompting, the two separate slabs of rock opened inward with a groan of resistance to plunge Hera into an even deeper darkness.

Hera hesitated before taking that first step into the chamber. The bit of light from the hallway was unable to pierce the darkness beyond.

Hera willed herself forward, stepped onto the unseen floor, and proceeded into the consuming darkness. The air was silent. Even Hera's footsteps were unheard as she strode forward with her controlled, even pace. The typical rustling of fabric under her metal armor that she was accustomed to was also absent. It was as if the world had been put on mute and sense of sound had been nullified, deafening the world.

As she considered this thought, a coldness seemed to close in, and she felt her body stiffen against her will. The cold was fleeting, but the soreness in her limbs that followed convinced her that it was more than just a slight chill.

As she stepped forward, the scraping of her metal heels could now be heard. Her breathing turned out to be much heavier than she expected as sound returned to the world. At first she thought her breathing mirrored her apprehension, but it was due more to the fact that the air in the chamber was now heavier. Much heavier.

Before she even had time to consider what had been done to her body, the darkness opened up before her and admitted her into another hidden chamber that glowed with a dim red light. The source of the light emitted from a small orb at the center of the room that pulsed outwards. Crimson rings swirled around it, and they appeared to be the energy source that maintained the light's glow.

Hundreds upon hundreds of stalagmites and stalactites thrust from the ground and ceiling, disappearing into the darkness beyond that the orb of light could not penetrate. Flat stone slabs protruded from all areas of the chamber around the spikes of rock. Dust swirled around in random points in the room from an unseen wind that shouldn't have existed in such a place sealed from the outside world.

Hera noticed a group of monsters, her comrades, sitting around the red orb. They leaned against the stalagmites or sat upon the flat stone slabs silently.

She first noticed Satan's massive form bent over the glowing orb. One of his hands rested open with trails of energy seeping from it, feeding the orb.

The second individual was a knight in heavy black armor who was busying himself as he tended to a long broadsword. He sat silently as his hand moved methodically up and down the sword. A light blue hue emanated from the blade as he continued to perfect his practice of reinforcement.

Sitting behind the knight on one of the jutting stone slabs was a female with folded, dark raven-like wings. Her black hair hung low to the small of her back with an elaborate, violet circlet resting on her head. The bright flowers that were clipped to her hair on either side of her head contrasted strangely with the burgundy armor she wore. Her legs were crossed, wearing stockings of armored fabric; and her arms, also covered in multi-layered metal, rested on her knees in a stance that made her boredom obvious. Her scythe was laid on the ground with the utmost care.

Standing next to Satan was the final individual. Hera was aware that he was male, but the bone mask-of-a-face made it difficult to tell, especially with the dark hood pulled up over his head. His armor was sharp and dangerous; it seemed like the armor was practically a part of his own body. His pauldrons were forged into the shape of dragon feet and his full multi-layered, caricthmian armor was smooth where the spikes ended. It was armor that was crafted by his own hands. His elaborate cloak covered most of the armor. Propped up in one of his hands was an enormous scythe with three intricate, and disturbingly realistic, dog heads where the blade of the scythe began. Two more curved blades extended upwards out of the two dog mouths to either side of the central blade. The eyes of the metal Cerberus glowed a deep yellow like a brimming fire.

What made Hera uneasy about him was the fact that she could not read his face. The hint of a mouth could be seen, but just barely since his cloak was pulled up over the lower half of his bone face (she was unsure if what he wore was a mask or if it was his actual face). His eyes were also unreadable. They were like the eyes of a beast; perhaps those of an ice wolf, with vertically thin pupils. The smaller eye in his forehead was forever unmoving, and Hera wondered if it actually observed anything. Perhaps it did, but she had never seen it glance in any direction. The black, curved ink designs around his eyes made their contrasting crystal blue color even more prominent.

Only one of her comrades came down to greet her as she approached the glowing orb. The woman with the raven wings dropped the few feet to the ground from the rock slab. She walked up to Hera and greeted her with a nod.

"It's good to see you Hera," she said in her sweet voice. There was a hint of apprehension in her tone that Hera could pick out.

"It is good to see you too Persephone," Hera replied. Her awareness of Persephone's uneasiness was enough of a reminder to mask her own.

The deep voice of Satan interrupted all of their thoughts. "Everyone is now present."

Persephone addressed the cloaked individual next to Satan with surprise, "What is he talking about Hades? There are so few of us here."

The one named Hades shook his head. "Indeed. Many of us are too far scattered throughout the continent to assemble. A few who were once among us have been removed from our covenant as well."

Hera smirked. "I'm guessing Beelzebub is one of them?"

She dismissed the fact that they had neglected to inform her about these recent events. They would get their scolding later.

"He was a liability. My only regret is that I was unable to crush his twisted brain," Satan scoffed, "Sick and demented little runt."

As Satan finished his sentence, the orb beneath his hand began to visibly dim. The void around them drew closer and melded into the stone. Hera felt the same presence from before. The dark tendrils now slithered along the stone and combined to create an even deeper darkness. The last of the inky black merged, and all around them the cavern vanished. The red orb only illuminated the individuals who stood around it.

A disembodied, mechanical voice resounded in the darkness, _"I am pleased that all of you were able to convene at this critical hour." _The voice seemed to be coming from all around them. It felt as if it was intruding upon their minds.

The dark knight who was reinforcing his sword stopped his work and rose to his feet. Hera was unable to see him camouflaged in the darkness, and she jumped in surprise as he appeared to join them in the circle. She let out a low curse as she composed herself. The dark knight shrugged an apology, even though he was not aware of what he had done to Hera's nerves.

Satan waved one of his six hands dismissively at the darkness. "Enough with these formalities Abyssal. Why did you summon us?"

"Best make it quick," Hades added, folding his arms over his chest impatiently. "The Players will be arriving at their Departure Towers. Time is short."

The darkness seemed to shift with irritation at their ill-mannered tone. It wasn't that this shift was seen, but felt.

Hera and Persephone glanced at each other uneasily.

_"Very well,"_ the Abyssal responded after a brief silence, _"I have summoned you all here to provide information regarding the next few months that follow this recent Reversion."_

Hera, despite herself, was now leaning forward expectantly awaiting the Abyssal's next words. Persephone mimicked her movement.

Hades, Satan, and the black knight stood silent and expectant.

_"I will no longer be able to assist you with intelligence concerning your enemies' whereabouts," _the Abyssal continued.

Satan cursed under his breath at this news and Hades simply shook his head. They had all expected this eventually. The very existence of The Reversion displayed the power of the ones who created the world. The monsters' loss of power was another signal that indicated their lack of control. It was an inevitability that they had all been secretly denying up until this moment.

Persephone spoke, "So the Creators have control of everything now? Is that it?" she asked.

The rest of them stared into the darkness for confirmation. The Abyssal's response was completely unexpected.

_"The Creators do not necessarily have control of this world."_

No one was able to conceal their shock at this statement. For those whose faces were concealed, their shift in stance was more than enough to reveal their surprise.

"What do you mean?" Hera asked.

_"The Reversion was not necessarily enacted by the current Creators. In actuality, The Reversion was set to occur at a certain time by a very 'specific' Creator, one who is now deceased. It is set to revert all monsters back to their original states of power when they were brought to the world. This Reversion was created to only occur once. It is the final preparation for the coming of the Players."_

Hera considered the words of the Abyssal for a moment. If what the Abyssal said was true, then The Reversion would not occur again. Also, the Creators were not actually in control of the world. What did that mean? If they were able to create something like The Reversion, then how were they not in control?

"I am not quite sure what you mean," Hera stated as she gathered her thoughts. The others waited for her to ask the question that was all on their minds.

"You say that the work of The Reversion was not done by the Creators, yet you say that one _specific_ Creator is the cause of it. So what's to stop the other Creators from making another one?"

The Abyssal answered immediately, _"It is because the other Creators do not know how to create another Reversion."_

Hera stared blankly into the darkness. She observed every one of her comrades and noticed the same stillness from all of them. It was a time for contemplation. They had all been painstakingly forming plans around the highly likely possibility that the Creators were always watching them, always waiting to intervene. One wrong move and the Creators would have the power to reverse not only their power, but perhaps the world, or even time and space. It seemed as if most of what they had learned about the world of the Creators was false.

The Abyssal interrupted their thoughts. _"In conclusion, this world is now out of the control of the Creators. The denizens of this world are considered separate from their influence. The Creators have limited power, and are only able to regulate the one who is truly in control of this world."_

Hades asked the pertinent question, "If they aren't in control, then who is?"

The Abyssal answered, _"My sister, Lo."_

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Demeter Forest**

**Game Timer: Day 1**

**2:18 PM**

Ray and Leilan stood at the edge of the cliff that overlooked Demeter Forest. The forest was a sea of green that extended far beyond Ray's range of sight.

The introductions between the two companions had been awkward to say the least. After Leilan's greeting, Ray had stood their completely dumbfounded by not just her beauty, but her matter-of-fact tone. It had taken him nearly a half minute to come up with a response. His words had come out as a cluster of stutters that made him sound like he was speaking a different language. That's how it sounded to him at least. He couldn't help but be embarrassed by his ridiculous response.

Ray squatted at the edge of the cliff and gazed down into the forest. He guessed that it was at least a thirty meter fall. There was no way any normal human could possibly make the drop without injury.

"Can you make this drop?" Leilan asked as if she had read his mind.

Ray examined the cliff face before answering her. There seemed to be a number of handholds from jutting rock and deep grooves that seemed to have a good bit of friction for his fingers to get a decent grip on.

"I can probably make the climb down," Ray responded.

As Ray turned to make his way down the cliff, Leilan placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. He glanced up in confusion and saw that Leilan's wings were now fully extended outward. A hint of a grin was on her face.

"I was just kidding," she chuckled softly. "I can fly you down."

Ray sighed and shook his head. Of course, it should have been obvious. He knew he wasn't thinking clearly. Everything that was going on, this amazingly real world and this amazingly real person were getting to his head.

But Leilan wasn't even a person. She may have looked like one, save for the wings on her back, but she was a monster.

Ray turned reluctantly and allowed Leilan to grab him under the arms. She tested her grip and his weight before she began beating her wings to lift them from the cliff. Ray was surprised by how easily she took to the sky with the combined weight of his armor and person.

Leilan glided a short ways until she found a break in the canopy. She released him a few feet off the ground and he landed easily in a half-crouch.

The grass was soft, just like in his own world.

Leilan alighted next to him and they began their journey through the forest.

* * *

Ray carefully picked his way down a long descent. The terrain was deceiving, for the trees grew so that they reached only a certain distance up to the sky, creating a completely even canopy of leaves. It was as if the trees were working in unison to remain as equals so that no tree reached any higher to the sky than the others.

No stone lay on the ground and no natural path was discernible.

Ray slid down the last few feet as Leilan floated to the ground beside him.

They spent most of the journey in silence. Ray found it difficult to strike up any sort of conversation. He always had a difficult time speaking to people he had just met. They were both destined to fight alongside each other without first knowing about the other. Ray found it easier to examine his surroundings and to take in the environment.

The forest was eerily silent. Ray noticed that during the whole trip through the forest, there was not a single sign of wildlife or any traces of prints or disturbed foliage to indicate that any sort of living creature had passed through.

Ray decided to break the silence by commenting on this observation. "This forest seems way too quiet," Ray said.

Leilan regarded him curiously as he continued.

"It feels like nothing has passed through here in quite some time. Why is that?" Ray figured that his partner might hold the answers for him. After all, it was her world.

But how long had she actually been in this world?

"This part of the forest heals itself," Leilan answered. "It is able to revert back to its original state at an amazing rate. Look." She gestured to the grass behind them.

She was right. The crushed grass that was previously beneath their feet was righting itself and pointed straight up once again. None of the blades of grass bent in any direction. All of them pointed straight for the canopy.

There were so many questions that Ray wanted to ask Leilan. But the sheer number of them couldn't possibly be answered in the span of a day. He decided that he would stick with the more pertinent questions for the time being and address the other ones later as the situations presented themselves.

"Normally I would ask someone I just met the typical introductory questions," Ray finally continued after a short time. Breaking his uneasiness with a bit of humor seemed appropriate. "Y'know, what your favorite hobby is, what colors you like, favorite outdoor activity, stuff like that."

Ray was about to continue until Leilan interrupted him. "You could ask. But I probably won't have an answer for most of them."

Ray smiled. "Yeah, for some reason I kind of figured."

Before he could draw out the conversation further, a dirt road caught his attention. He didn't actually notice it until he heard the crunch of the dirt under his feet, completely different from the soft muffling of his boots in the grass.

He noticed a long indent in the dirt that extended all the way down the road out of sight. Some sort of vehicle must have passed by. No, that wasn't right. The world he was in now didn't have the advanced technology of his own world. This world was based on magic. The tracks must have been from a wagon perhaps, judging from the fact that the tracks were in a pair.

Leilan looked up and down the road silently. She seemed to be weighing their options.

"If we head north, we will reach the town of Millshore," Leilan said. "To the south is the far base of the Bakke Mountains. I suggest that we head into town first. It will be evening by the time we reach the mountains, and there are too many taur demons prowling the area at that time."

Ray nodded. "Alright. You know this world better than I do. Let's head north then."

He was eager to enter some dungeons. The fast pace and thrill of the battles in the Departure Tower had him itching for combat. But it was foolish to enter territory without any experience and at such a low level.

All Players and monsters started at level one upon entering the world. As they completed dungeons and quests they would become stronger. Ray didn't want other Players getting the jump on him in terms of power, but perhaps he could gain an advantage through knowledge instead.

* * *

Leilan's words proved to be true, and the sun began to set faster than Ray had anticipated. He could make out faint traces of the moons in the sky. Having more than one moon was going to take some getting used to, and he did a double-take when he first noticed the two spheres in the sky nearly touching each other in orbit. He wondered what effect two moons could have on a world. When a third moon appeared to take the place of the sun on the horizon it didn't really surprise him.

Leilan and Ray walked in silence down the dirt road.

It was a rather unique situation; two individuals who knew nothing about the other put together and expected to fight alongside one another, holding the fate of the other in his/her hands. Success didn't only depend upon how well they worked together. Trust was another issue, and Ray found it strange that he would have to address this if they were to work together as a team. In a game, a Player was the dominant force that determined how the game would progress. And if things fell apart, then it was all on the Player. Maybe the Player gave a partner the wrong choice from a list of commands, or maybe the Player took on a quest that was beyond his/her level.

In this world there were an infinite number of choices. An infinite number of situations and possibilities.

Ray bumped into Leilan's outstretched arm. Her touch woke him from his reverie and he instinctively drew back.

Leilan motioned for him to follow her to the side of the road. Ray obeyed and they took cover in some bushes.

When they were safely concealed, she cocked her head in the direction they were headed. Ray squinted his eyes to focus on the road and didn't notice anything at first, but after a few more seconds, he could make out what appeared to be a wagon and a group of individuals walking beside it. Actually, there was more than one wagon. Ray counted about four, along with a pair of guards standing to the sides and rear of each wagon. Some of the guards rode on the horses that pulled the wagons. Gray tarps covered their bulky cargo.

One individual rode upon an armored white horse leading the caravan, carefully taking in the surrounding forest for any signs of hostiles. The helmet this person wore concealed his/her face, and a straight horizontal line was left for the eyes.

Their gray armor was worn and damaged. Some of them were bandaged and supported injured limbs as best they could using the wagon for leverage or the scabbards of weapons.

Ray noted the crest on their body armor that consisted of two swirling lines ending like teardrops surrounding a crossed halberd and glaive.

"Soldiers of Millshore," Leilan commented.

Ray didn't take his eyes away from the approaching troops. "Friend or foe?"

"Really depends," Leilan answered, "The captain of the guard holds no love for monsters. Past conflicts in Millshore have left us with a strained relationship. The guards will be keeping a close eye on us when we enter town, but they won't interfere with us unless provoked."

Leilan rose from their cover and calmly walked out to the middle of the road. Ray joined her and assumed the same air of ease. He was content to let her take the lead.

They waited until the caravan arrived and a group of guards left their stations at the sides of the wagons and formed a defensive semicircle around the two travelers. They wielded their glaives with unsteady hands not from fear, but sheer exhaustion.

The soldier on the horse slid down and approached Ray and Leilan. The soldier did not bother to draw the broadsword on his/her back and gently pushed one of the guards aside.

"At ease," the muffled voice said.

The guards lowered their weapons, but they made sure the blades settled lightly on the dirt. The dirt would take some of the strain off their arms, but they would be prepared.

The soldier, who Ray assumed was the leader, removed the helmet.

The soldier was female with long blonde hair that was now free to flow to her lower back. Her hazel eyes were heavy, but there was an intensity that remained. She was good looking despite her hard features. Ray figured she was somewhere in her late twenties, but her manner and presence suggested a mind exceeding that of those with more years for wisdom.

Her expression softened and she gave them a weary smile of greeting, but not enough to extinguish the fire in her eyes. Her relaxed stance was most likely a farce.

"A monster and a human traveling together," she said. She didn't seem surprised by the odd pairing. "I guess this means that the Players have finally descended."

Ray tilted his head in confusion. It was strange that non-playable characters were aware of the unique existence of the Players. Usually these kinds of characters were for the sole purpose of driving a story forward, acquiring information, or providing quests to the Players of the game. The fact that they had knowledge of humans outside of their own world seemed unnecessary.

"How do you know I am a Player? And how did you even know we were coming?" Ray asked.

"The keeper of this world, Lady Overlook, informed us of your coming," she answered. "It also isn't common around these parts for a human and a monster to be traveling together."

_Lo told the people of this world of our arrival? _Ray thought with surprise. He also found it strange the way she mentioned the relationship between the humans and monsters. It seemed like the two groups really did have an unhealthy relationship.

Leilan shifted the conversation towards a question concerning the caravan. "It's pretty late to be heading south isn't it? And your men don't seem to be in the highest spirits," she added as she got a good look at the soldiers' faces.

"Aye," the woman said with a tinge of concern, "We were assigned to escort this caravan to our new outpost on the south edge of Demeter Forest. Unfortunately, we had a few unexpected complications."

"Complications?" Ray pressed.

The woman nodded. "Looks like the taur demons in the area are all riled up, and they aren't the weak ones either. These taur demons hold the title of '_Hellwind_,' first evolution taurs. This is the first time I've seen them this close to Millshore."

"I did not know there was an outpost set up so close to the edge of the mountains," Leilan commented.

"That's why the outpost is so desperate for supplies," the woman continued. "It is fairly new. The area is rich in ores, but since the area is so dangerous, the outpost was built at the base of the mountain."

Ray looked at the soldiers next to the wagons. Some of them were now seated heavily on the ground. Their heavy breathing and gaunt appearances were plain. Either this woman had been pushing them hard, or the hostiles had pushed them even harder.

He now noticed the woman's thickly bandaged leg. Her leather waist armor that hung down along her thighs had mostly hidden the red stain at a distance. Upon further observation, Ray also realized that most of her weight was distributed towards her healthy leg. The woman didn't show it, but she was badly injured.

"How much further is the outpost?" Ray asked. This drew a disapproving look from Leilan. She had an idea of what the question implied.

"With our current pace, and without any other obstacles, we should be able to make it by sundown." She threw her thumb over her shoulder to the men behind her. "We may be beaten up a bit, but we haven't lost a single man on this trip. My soldiers are the real deal."

She said that, but even Ray could see that the men were reaching their limit. Some of them were still panting, and their injuries didn't amount to just a couple of cuts and bruises. He observed one man with his waist completely bandaged and three spots of red seeping through. The weapon responsible for the wound was probably something like a trident, judging from the three punctures. The many layers of wrap indicated that the wound was deep. Many of the other men were similarly treated with makeshift tourniquets and crutches.

They would be hard-pressed in a fight with so many wounded.

It was in Ray's nature to help those in need, even if it was in a game. There might even be a potential opportunity to amend the monster and human relationship, even if it was just a little. He wanted to head to the mountains as soon as possible anyway. There had to be some dungeons nearby to explore and other places of interest. The outpost would also provide a safe place to stay for the night. Heading into town could wait until later.

He turned to Leilan for confirmation. He knew that she was aware of his intentions. "What do you think Leilan? We were going to head south anyway at some point."

Leilan shook her head. "I don't think we would be very welcome at this outpost." She gestured to the soldiers. "And I don't think these men would be comfortable taking the trip with me around."

To Leilan's surprise, one of the guards in the defensive semicircle around them relaxed his weapon and rested it on his shoulder. The rest of them followed his lead, and some even rested their weapons on the ground as a sign of trust.

"Some of us don't hate monsters," the one with the glaive on his shoulder said confidently. "Monsters may have made our lives more difficult in the past, but not all of them are to blame."

Another soldier by one of the wagons spoke up angrily, "The hell is wrong with you Carther? The damn monsters just crippled us and now you want to throw our lot with them?"

"Enough! Shut your goddamm mouths!" their commander shouted before anyone else could jump in.

The rest of the men promptly went quiet. They didn't even let out a breath. It showed just how much control and respect she had over them.

She turned back to Ray and Leilan and smiled apologetically. "My apologies. There will always be ignorant fools. I have fought alongside a monster on one rare occasion. They aren't all bad. If you would like to join us, I would be happy to have two more fighters for company. We might even be able to make it to the outpost with no casualties."

Her last comment was left as a vague indication that she believed there would be further conflict. And she knew with her exhausted and wounded men, they wouldn't all make the journey.

Leilan gave Ray another look that was difficult to read. "Very well, I suppose we will join you. Just make sure that none of your men try to stab me in the back."

The woman extended a hand to Leilan who accepted it with a bit of hesitation. She then shook hands with Ray.

"My name's Irina Roche. Just call me Irina."

"Leilan."

"Ray Andylon. Just call me Ray."

Once they finished the introductions, Irina signaled to her men that their break was over. It was time to finish the hard journey.

Leilan and Ray noticed Irina and the man named Carther approach one of the wounded men. They helped him to his feet and slung his arms over their shoulders and guided him to the white horse. A few more men came over to assist them and managed to settle the man in the saddle.

Some of the injured sat on the edges of the wagon, but the cargo that they were transporting took up most of the space available.

Along the way, many of the injured men took turns riding the horses when the pain became too unbearable to continue on foot.

Irina limped alongside Leilan and Ray the rest of the trip to the outpost.

* * *

The taur demons that flew overhead were the first sign of trouble. The second was the smoke that rose high over the trees in the darkening sky.

Irina bid her soldiers to make haste, and they pushed themselves through the pain of their injuries at their commander's call. They readied their crossbows and searched the sky for anymore hostiles. The darkness made all of the surrounding forest a place for ambush.

Leilan launched herself into the sky above the treeline so that any potential airborne enemies would not detect their location. She was just high enough to discern the source of the black smoke. The distance couldn't have been more than a mile.

She landed at a quickened pace next to Ray who was already setting up his database so that he could have faster access to his board of orbs once they entered combat.

The caravan had sped up, but their speed only amounted to a swift walk. The wagons were just simply too cumbersome, and the injured could muster only barely enough energy to keep up. Ray wondered if the soldiers would even be able to fight once they arrived at the outpost.

After a few minutes, the dirt road disappeared and was replaced by the regenerating grass of the forest. The caravan had turned slightly east back towards the forest, and the trees left just enough room for the wagons to pass through. The edge of the Bakke Mountains was now visible as the caravan came upon a small field. The outpost stood at its edge near another short expanse of forest that led to the base of the mountains.

Its wall consisted of thick, sturdy logs lifted upright with the ends crafted to sharpened points. Platforms lined the tops of the wall inside where guards ran back and forth, shouting orders and reloading crossbows. Archery towers stood at the edge of the wall as well, and crossbowmen fired into a hoard of monsters that pressed against the gate. The monsters even attempted to climb, driving their weapons into the wood as they made their ascent.

The mass of monsters hovering above the outpost and running towards the wall left the caravan in awe. They soon noticed the source of the smoke where a fire had erupted. It was continuously being fed at the base of the western wall.

A group of red, horned monsters with reptilian tails stood to one side with a circle of winged demons wielding tridents in a defensive formation. Some of them hefted shields to deflect the arrows from the guards' crossbows as the red demons threw orbs of fire at the wall.

Another group of dark demons with wings and wielding scythes descended upon the archery towers and attempted to circumvent the wooden spikes on the ledges the crossbowmen hid behind as they loaded more bolts.

"Ready them up boys!" Irina barked. Her men immediately responded.

They tore off the tarps on the wagons to reveal long metal cylinders with considerably large diameters. They were supported by gray steel slabs that attached near the front and end with wheels embedded to the bottom. A round crank extended out of one side. They threw off more tarps to present even more similar cylinders. On some of the wagons were black heavy spheres that some of the men promptly loaded.

Cannons.

"I want the injured to man the cannons and focus on the western wall! Take out those bastards before they burn the whole place. Keep moving forward and angle them appropriately. The idiots gave us a clear line of fire away from the outpost. The rest of you, hit the front and kill every last one of them! I want two lines of three archers each to swap positions for firing and reloading. I want plenty of cover as we move in. Get to it!"

With that final command Ray and Leilan rushed forward alongside Irina and her troops.

Irina still managed to keep up, even with her injured leg. The fire in her eyes was now on full blaze.

A rush of adrenaline coursed through Ray's body. A mixture of nervousness and excitement blended in. He felt his body lighten and sync with an all too familiar twitch in his muscles that acted on his combat instincts.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Castle of Satan**

**In-game Timer: Day 1**

**7:26 PM**

The Abyssal brooded in his darkness about the monsters he had come to create an alliance with.

They were competent, but he found that some of them were not convinced of the intentions he had relayed to them. This would be a problem. He was going to need their assistance for a while if he was ever going to have a chance of accomplishing his goal.

He was sure that the one known as Hades would take the most convincing. All of them held a lack of trust, which was only natural. But Hades suspected far too much, even at this early stage in the game. If things went sour, then he would have to be disposed of first. The woman, Persephone, had a very intimate attachment to him, so she would be the next priority. The rest he was unsure of, but all in due time.

The Abyssal had decided to risk reaching out with his power to tap into the world and locate the positions of the Players. He could tell that his sister had not been given full command of the world just yet, which was a pleasant surprise.

His own Players had arrived just as the one Creator had promised. However, he sensed other Players with similar impressive potential that were not among his own.

Curious.


	8. Chapter 7- Defenses

_"We grind and grind. We die over and over again. We are both aware and unaware of the fact that we do this for essentially the same reason every time, no matter the seemingly differing circumstances. Yet we continue undeterred. This world is different. Something comes back with us." -A Player_

**Chapter 7- Defenses**

**Charlotte, North Carolina **

**United States**

**May 25, 2020**

**Real World Time- 12:20 PM**

Edward Andylon sat at the bar and took a long gulp from his pint. The pilsner went down smoothly, and he felt the coldness stir his belly awake. A nice chill Pilsner Urquell was just what he needed after a long night of work at the Police Department. Drinking on an empty stomach wasn't really the wisest decision he had made today, but veteran drinkers somehow managed to toughen their stomachs up from younger days of foolish drinking habits.

The bar was relatively empty. People usually didn't come to the bars until at least late afternoon. But in Edward Andylon's mind it was always five o'clock somewhere.

He brought his mug down on the wood bar a little harder than he had intended, and it indicated his frustration to the young cop sitting beside him.

The cop eyed him over the rim of his mug as he gingerly took a sip of his own drink. He was hesitant to ask about his partner's foul mood. Everyone at the station had discovered the hard way that any question that was even inadvertently related to his family life would result in a highly undesirable outcome. It wasn't that he didn't have a good family life. As a matter of fact, he had a wonderful loving wife and two kids who were smart, athletic, and would have promising futures if they stayed the course. The problem was that he was easily irritated, and since he was in this state most of the time at work anyway, it escalated into something much more fierce. He felt that it wasn't anyone's business what happened in his home life, and even if someone didn't intend to inquire about it anyway, it was his immediate assumption.

As the young cop was about to speak, he became distracted by a commercial that appeared on the television.

A pleasant female voice spoke as images of screened electronic devices appeared: cell phones, tablets, laptops, and so forth.

"_Download the Puzzle and Dragons Viewer app to watch your favorite Players traverse the virtual world to wage battles and unlock its secrets. Add Players to your alert list to receive notifications when your Players enter dungeons or engage in combat..._"

Andylon took another draw from his mug in disgust as the commercial continued. Video games were such a senseless waste of time in his opinion.

He noticed that his partner was watching the commercial with clear interest. There was a mesmerized gleam in his eye that Andylon still hadn't gotten used to.

The young cop pulled out his cellphone and accessed the internet via Wifi.

Andylon sighed with exasperation. "Terry, you aren't seriously doing what I think you're doing right?" he asked the question fully aware of the answer.

"Sorry boss, this is the first I've heard of it. Seriously, the technology is friggin amazing. You should just give it a chance and watch some of it. They even say that people's real life abilities are in the game too. Pretty damn cool if you ask me."

"It's a video game," Andylon responded simply.

"Well, yes, but...it's not like you hold a controller or anything. It's like you are really moving around and actually use your own skill to fight. It takes smarts and real ability."

"It's a video game," Andylon repeated.

Terry didn't push his argument further but instead went back to the commercial. The female voice was now describing elements of the game concerning Player stats, levels, the intrinsic scans, and free-roam ability. Viewers were able to see a Player's previous rank from the original game and could place bets on who they thought would be the victor at the start of PvP battles. Of course, viewers had to be the appropriate gambling age to place bets. Viewers also would be awarded magic stones for the original game for other special contests.

"Isn't your son participating?" Terry asked as the commercial ended.

Andylon grunted, "Don't remind me."

He ran a hand through his short, graying hair as if the motion would ease his irritation. It didn't.

Terry shrugged. "Well, I'll be rooting for him. Seriously, try watching it at home a bit to see how he does."

Andylon waved at him dismissively and went back to finishing his beer. He tossed a generous tip onto the bar and rose from his stool.

"You alright to drive boss?" Terry asked.

"I'll be fine. I hold my alcohol a little too well."

Terry laughed. "Yeah all those years of experience old man." He risked the playful jab.

Andylon humored him with a smirk. "I'm not quite fifty yet. When that time comes, you can call me old all you want."

He gave Terry a quick two-fingered salute and headed out of the bar.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Demeter Forest**

**In-Game Timer: Day 1**

**7:45 PM**

Leilan drove her halberd through another taur demon as she subdued the previous with a swift kick to the lower jaw. She pulled her halberd free and swung in a wide arc that sliced the chest of a third taur demon that had entered the fight just a split-second too late. The taur demon stumbled back from the blow but managed to recover itself faster than Leilan had anticipated. It lashed out with its pitchfork and one of its points barely grazed Leilan's leg.

The fight was frustrating. She knew that if she had been at her full strength the taur demon with the chest wound would have easily been dead by now. But due to The Reversion, she was back to square one. Working towards her previous level of power was going to take some getting used to.

She finished off the taur demon and spared a glance at her Player partner who was fighting alongside the soldier named Carther. They stood back to back and cut down any taur demons that attempted to attack from the other's blind side. Ray's fighting style with his katana was rather clumsy when he took the offensive, but Leilan was amazed by his astounding reflexes. He had an impressive awareness of the battlefield, and once he finished off one enemy he would parry another from a seemingly impossible angle. In one instance she even saw him angle his blade to block the attacks of two separate enemies simultaneously. He was talented without a doubt, but he lacked true combat experience.

Carther was no stranger to combat. He gave Ray orders when the situations changed, and the two fighters would shift positions accordingly to better fend off their attackers. He leveled his glaive parallel to the ground and implemented an interesting technique where he would feint with a diagonal strike and then shift his weight to redirect it in a horizontal arc. This technique took an impressive amount of muscle strength and control. Leilan was amazed that he was able to execute it after all the battles he had experienced on the way to the outpost.

An explosion rocked the western wall of the outpost and a group of red demons flew through the sky in a mess of limbs and fire. The force of the explosion also knocked the shield demons off their feet, leaving them exposed for the crossbowmen in the towers to finish them off.

The soldiers manning the cannons ordered the wagons forward to get a better angle on some of the demons that had survived the first blast. They also moved closer to the outpost for fear of an ambush from the forest.

As Leilan cut down another taur demon she heard a familiar female voice by her side. It was Irina.

"I've never seen taur and pyro demons fighting together. Even blood demons joined in," Irina said. She sliced the throat of an approaching blood demon with her broadsword. The winged demon attempted to bring down its scythe with one last attack but received a fist to the face for the effort.

Irina was right. This was the first time Leilan had ever seen different types of demons fighting together. The various demon types usually kept to themselves and even attacked other clans if they intruded on the wrong territory. Some other force was at work here to get these fierce enemies to fight alongside each other.

The guards standing on top of the wall were managing to keep the climbing demons at bay. They resorted to long pole weapons since the archers and crossbowmen couldn't get a proper angle from the towers. One of the guards screamed as a black blood demon swooped in from behind and sliced his lower back. It landed on the platform and drove the pole of its weapon into the face of another guard. More of the flying demons settled behind the wall and lashed out, hoping to distract the guards so that the other types of demons could scale the walls. The archers just simply couldn't take all of the moving targets out of the sky.

Leilan broke off from one of her engagements to meet up with Ray.

She noticed he was accessing the database on his wrist. The restriction on the previous board must have been lifted. As the holographic screen appeared on his database, Leilan felt a surge of energy enter her body and weapon. However, she noticed that it was not nearly as potent as the energy she had received before on the previous board.

Leilan observed Ray and noticed a look of dejection on his face. He gritted his teeth and closed the database. He struck out with his katana in a vent of frustration and Leilan could now see multiple holes in his stance. His reflexes seemed slower, but he didn't appear to be tired in the least.

She decided it would be best to inquire about this change when the fight was settled.

The battle on the ground appeared to be well in hand, but the skies were turning out to be a real issue. She took flight and rammed into two flying blood demons with the armor of her wings.

* * *

Ray stared at the board of orbs and gritted his teeth in frustration. The barrier that surrounded him provided protection while he spent his time solving the board, but the longer he took, the more time he was away from the fight. He also didn't want to disappoint Leilan by giving her a meager portion of power. He was better than this. But the chaos of the fight, the people of his world watching him, the expectations of his partner, they all began to weigh down on him. And now he found that his mind went blank at random intervals for no reason.

He accidentally touched a water orb and began to move it around the board to start making the combinations. He realized at the last minute that he was dragging the wrong orb.

_Dammit! No! I wanted a light orb! _

There was no way he could amend his mistake now that he had already started moving the orb. He couldn't possibly get a combination of light orbs together, so he decided to make a third combination of blue orbs instead to at least increase the combo.

As he finished the board, it locked up with its big red 'X.' He looked to Leilan's stat screen.

_The Divine Harbinger Suzaku, Leilan/Type: God/ Type 2: Attacker/Attribute: Fire/Sub-Attribute: Light/Health: 1,294/Attack: 918/RCV: 201/Active Skill: Southern Seven-Star Formation/Leader Skill: Dance of the Crimson Heaven_

If Ray had picked up the right orb he could have made three combos of one light combination and two fire combinations of three. One of the light orbs on the board was all the way across from the other two it needed to match up with. There was no way he could use a blue orb to get it all the way across to the other two light orbs while also circumventing his pair of fire combinations.

Leilan's leader skill gave her three-and-a-half times more power if wood, light, and fire orbs had three matches or more at the same time. He first wanted to attempt to get these combinations, but then he realized that the only way her leader skill would work is if all three attributes actually _attacked_! Leilan could only attack with fire and light. Without another monster in his team with a wood attribute her leader skill was completely useless. Another major mistake.

He completely messed everything up. They were amateurish oversights, and if people in his world were watching, then they were probably laughing at him right now.

This realization only built on his frustration. He disengaged the barrier and attacked his enemies with wild strikes and ignored everything except for the opponent in front of him.

* * *

The last of the demons retreated into the forest, crippled by the lack of air support due to the god monster that thwarted any semblance of momentum that they previously had. The soldiers on the wall were once again free to deal with the enemies outside the gate, and the archers found that many of their targets were easy to pick off as Leilan herded them together in the sky. The demons in the field were cut down by Ray and Irina's forces with a limited number of casualties. Many others received a mix of minor and major wounds, but none of them were actually life-threatening.

The soldiers of the outpost let the wagons through and raised a victory cheer as the assisting soldiers of Millshore joined their comrades-in-arms.

The same hospitality was extended to Leilan, who was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome.

The upbeat atmosphere was short-lived though as a pair of soldiers dragged a bound, thrashing blood demon along the ground. Its black, leathery skin was covered in splotches of purple and red blood. The guards who noticed the latter were reminded of how many comrades they had lost in the battle. The men threw the demon forward and it landed on its face at Irina's feet. It twisted its face from the dirt and gave Irina an even wider grin than normal. It let out a choked laugh. Her serious expression pleased it greatly.

Irina crouched next to the demon and gave it a frown of distaste. It gave off a disgusting, pungent odor as it breathed heavily through its grinning teeth.

The soldiers waited silently for Irina to speak.

"What are blood, taur, and pyro demons doing working together?" Irina asked the demon, "You little freaks have hated each other for years, and now you are suddenly working together. Why the sudden change?"

The blood demon cackled, "We have a similar interest among us. We love human squeals. So long, loud, and high-pitched. Even the male ones. I wish I could collect them in jars and listen to them every night before going to bed. Oh such pleasure. Heh heh."

Irina punched the demon in the jaw. She was hoping that some of its teeth would fall out so its stupid grin wouldn't be quite so annoying. She was out of luck. The demon licked its bloody lips gleefully.

"I'm not buying it. You creatures don't value your lives, so killing you isn't enough for me. I would sure like to torture you. I wonder if I'll enjoy your squeals as much as you enjoy ours."

The demon let out a choked laugh. "Oh my, don't put that disgusting image in my head. A human deriving in sexual pleasure, how disgusting."

Irina's eye twitched and she frowned deeply at the demon. It laughed even harder at her frustration.

The soldiers surrounding them shifted uneasily on their feet. Carther began to step forward, but Irina held out an arm to stop him.

"Please, let me kill this filth," Carther said angrily. He didn't like this demon playing such crude mind games with his commander. He knew she had it well in hand, but it still infuriated him.

The demon spit a glob of purple blood out of its mouth and laughed even harder.

Before Irina could speak again, Leilan stepped forward and crouched next to her and stared expressionlessly at the demon. Irina didn't move to stop her when she noticed the slight twitch of the demon's mouth as it grinned. The demon stopped laughing as Leilan examined it. It worked to retain its composure, but it was wavering, even if just a little.

Finally, Leilan spoke, "If you demons really do have such a common interest, then you would have taken advantage of an alliance a long time ago I'm sure. So I don't believe you either. Who or what is behind this?"

The blood demon chuckled with a mix of blood and phlegm. It didn't have long, but it decided to amuse itself a little further.

"Heh heh. The dark one. He sees all. He knows all. Heh heh heh."

Leilan didn't question the demon further. She knew that this was all the information that she would get out of it. Besides, the creature was near death anyway. The particles of data that began to float off its body increased in rate. The demon laughed hysterically until the very end of its life.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Demeter Forest**

**In-Game Timer: Day 4**

**2:16 PM**

The days following the attack on the outpost were relatively quiet and uneventful. Small groups of demons of all different attributes risked exposing themselves from time to time to get a peak at what was going on at the outpost, but other than a few skirmishes out on the road with some caravan deliveries, the area was mostly free of any real resistance.

More mining parties arrived from Millshore to collect the ores discovered at the base of the mountain, and the increase in soldiers outside of the outpost made the miners much more comfortable and willing to stray from the safety of the walls.

The presence of Leilan and Ray also aided in lifting everyone's spirits. Some normal dungeons of _novice_ and _intermediate_ difficulty were discovered along the base of the mountains as the miners continued deeper.

Leilan saw a change in Ray from their battle at the outpost. She still recalled that last bit of energy she had received from him during that battle, and how weak it was compared to the first burst of power she had drawn from him. There was still hesitation in his movements, but as they made their way deeper into a dungeon, his concentration improved and his body flowed more naturally when in combat.

There was a look in Ray's eyes at times that seemed distant, like he was lost in thoughts that did not relate to the situation in front of him. He was a different person. A person who was elsewhere.

Leilan dismissed these observations. It didn't feel like the right time to address them.

They were doing well and gaining levels at a decent rate, while also developing a positive relationship with the people of Millshore. These interactions would prove to be invaluable, for even with the uneasy relationship between the people of Millshore and monsters in the past, it would make it much easier for at least Leilan and Ray to travel the area without any disturbances from the local humans. It was bad enough that the area was teeming with demon monsters and whatever else might be lurking out in the surrounding hills and forest.

Then, on the fourth day, a dungeon was discovered that was much different from the others.

* * *

A squad of Irina's soldiers escorted Ray and Leilan to the passage in the mountain where the dungeon was discovered. Irina had also decided to tag along out of curiosity. It was the first time it felt necessary to bring such a large group, but the soldiers felt uneasy about this particular dungeon. It wasn't a feeling they could readily explain.

The passage into the mountain peeled off with a steep descent, and everyone kept their hands free in order to make the trip down safely. The miners had explained that they had never even used explosives to discover the passage or resorted to any amount of digging. It was just there. A few of them decided to venture a look, and that was when the massive stone double-doors were discovered with the strange symbols etched around them.

They arrived at the door after a few narrow, dangerous curves that brought them spiraling down through a misty darkness. It was illuminated by a light from some unseen source. It was too deep to have any light from the outside. The presence of the door was enough to indicate that it was indeed the entrance to a dungeon.

Leilan and Ray approached the large door and examined the symbols at its sides. A roman numeral three was etched into the right side of the door to indicate that it was a _special_ dungeon. These dungeons were rare, and were typically much more difficult than _normal_ dungeons. According to the game guide, these dungeons could also have rare materials for creating and upgrading weapons and items.

There were three straight vertical lines like tally marks on the left side of the door that indicated it was also a _special_ dungeon at the _expert _level.

Ray had only been in the virtual world a few days now, and he found that the other dungeons were not too difficult due to Leilan's combat skills. But taking on a dungeon of this level so early might be biting off more than he could chew.

Leilan eyed him as he began to weigh the possibilities of success based upon their experiences in the other dungeons.

"What do you think?" Irina asked, interrupting Ray's thoughts.

He answered her, but did not take his eyes from the stone door, "I'm not sure. Leilan and I are gaining strength pretty fast, but that typically happens in worlds like this from my experience. Earlier on it is much easier to gain levels, but as you get higher and higher, it becomes increasingly difficult and requires more experience. That being said, the previous dungeons have proven to be pretty simple despite just two of us fighting. It might be doable."

Irina tilted her head in confusion. "Wait, you've been to other worlds like this?"

Ray shook his head. "Well, no, not necessarily. Not physically at least. But I do know the basics of how these worlds function. Let's just say I've been exposed to situations with similar criteria."

Irina nodded in understanding, but Ray could still see the lines of confusion on her face.

Everyone became distracted by Leilan as she moved forward and rested her hand on the door. She closed her eyes and seemed to be listening for something. Everyone around her stood silently until she opened her eyes and backed away.

She was struggling to hide it, but Ray could see the slight narrowing of her eyes as she analyzed the door.

"Something the matter?" Ray asked.

"We need to enter this dungeon," Leilan answered immediately.

Ray walked up next to her and stared at the door as if there was something there that he had missed. Obviously, there was nothing of note to Ray.

"Why do we need to enter this dungeon so badly?" he pressed.

Leilan shook her head. "I can't explain it. I just know."

"If we fail this dungeon then we could lose a lot of the experience we gained from those other dungeons," Ray said with a tinge of apprehension.

"I am aware."

"There's only two of us, and we can't even use your leader skill yet without another monster in our team."

"I know."

Ray sighed and rubbed the back of his head. It was a movement that showed he was nervous, but if Leilan was so insistent upon attempting the dungeon, then he really didn't see how he could argue. It was going to be a tough dungeon without a doubt. He would have to be at the top of his game, but he hadn't been for the past few days due to his nerves.

He remembered his first day in the Departure Tower when he fought alongside the tamadra to take down the many floors of monsters. Their teamwork had been spot-on during the fights, and his orb combinations had turned the tamadra into a force to be reckoned with. But now...

Leilan placed a comforting hand on his shoulder that woke him from his thoughts. Her gesture was soft, but her eyes had a hard intensity as they analyzed him. Ray wouldn't have been surprised if she knew what was going on just by reviewing his face.

At that moment, Ray decided not to think. Leilan's eyes were telling him not to. The soldiers gasped as he placed his hand at the center of the door. A smidgeon of light appeared at the top and drew its way vertically down the center. It disappeared into the ground and the doors opened silently inward to reveal a brightly lit cavern.

Irina stepped forward, peered into the cavern, and let out a low whistle. "Well, at least it's lit up," she commented.

The rest of the soldiers drew back instinctively as if they expected the monsters inside to start pouring out. The cavern remained silent.

"We need to head back to the outpost," Irina said, "I wish you luck. It's crazy, but apparently you monsters and Players can't die. Not really sure how that works. So either way, I will probably see you this evening. I hope you return with success."

With that, she signaled for her men to head back the way they had come. She risked another quick glance back over her shoulder as she made the ascent, but found that Ray and Leilan were already gone.

* * *

"Do not think," Leilan said as they made their way along one of the winding paths in the cavern.

Ray stared uneasily into the various passages that lined the cavern walls. He barely heard Leilan's words; one: because he didn't want to hear them since they only reminded him of his past incompetence; and two: thinking about his past incompetence made him worry about precipitating similar mistakes.

Leilan's words became insistent with her now forceful tone, "You think too much when you are fighting. You do fine at the beginning of a fight because you have no time to think about consequences once you become engaged. But when you have even a moment of breathing room, you start to think too much, and your thoughts most likely stray towards the negative. At the end of the fight, when victory is assured, you begin to relax. You put way too much pressure on yourself, and that leads to self-doubt, which then clouds your judgment and makes you stiff."

Ray was amazed that she had figured out this much about him in just a few days. She must have been watching him closely in their short time together. Ray wasn't sure how to react to all this.

"What are you over-thinking?"

Leilan stopped in front of him on a narrow natural bridge and turned to him purposefully. Ray took a step back as she gave him that hard stare.

At first, Ray thought that her stare was an indication of a critical opinion of him, but Ray now found that it held not a shred of judgment. It was simply a matter of understanding. Her question may have been rather blunt, but it just paralleled her intense personality. There was not a shred of anger to be seen in her eyes or her tone. Ray couldn't quite place it, but her straightforward way of speaking was something he wasn't particularly used to. It wasn't necessarily unpleasant either, even with his reluctance to discuss the subject.

Ray settled his hands on his hips and stared up at the ceiling of the cavern. It was difficult to find the right words.

"You are doing it again," Leilan said.

Ray stared at her in confusion.

"Thinking. Even now you do it too much. With me, I don't want you to worry about coming up with the perfect choice of words. There is no such thing. Just put them together correctly. That is it."

"Okay. Anxiety," Ray blurted out. He took Leilan's suggestion and just threw out the first words that popped into his head. He had heard the word from himself and other people his whole life.

Leilan waited for him to continue.

Ray forced himself to stare straight at her. It was difficult.

"Yes, you're right. I tend to think too much. I am the type of person who thinks negatively about things before considering the positives. I worry that other people will get hurt because of my mistakes. I also hate disappointing others. There."

There it was. He laid it all out.

Leilan smiled. "Well, that's more like it."

Ray tore his eyes away from her in embarrassment. Expressing his personal flaws to someone he had just recently met was not a usual occurrence. He knew that she now understood what he meant about disappointing other people; after all, she was among them.

"As we move further through this dungeon," Leilan continued, "I want you to shut all of that out of your mind."

Ray waited for her to continue but soon realized that she was expecting some sort of confirmation from him.

"Right, got it," he answered, "I'll work on it."

Without another word on the subject, Leilan continued leading him through the dungeon.

_Easier said than done, _Ray thought.

* * *

**Seattle, Washington**

**United States**

**May 25, 2020**

**Real World Time- 3:40 PM**

The Gamemaster walked along the line of computer stations as all of his staff continued operations for streaming the events of the virtual world to the public. Large monitors were mounted all over the walls with tables mounted underneath, supporting machines that monitored Player vital signs, neural link compatibilities, intrinsic setting synchronization, and so forth. On the front wall was the largest monitor that depicted a pale white image of a young female who sifted through collections of data that she gathered from her observations of the virtual world.

The AI, Lo, truly was the finest master of her craft. The data that she delivered to the workers at their stations was awe-inspiring.

The Puzzle and Dragons Viewer app was largely successful, just as predicted, already surpassing one hundred million downloads.

The Players had proven to be more competent than the Gamemaster had ever hoped. The battles in the Departure Towers were just a taste of the kind of potential the Players had, and they would only get stronger during the next few days.

The view count had gone up dramatically a couple hours earlier when a young female entered a skirmish almost immediately following the completion of her respective Departure Tower. She and her monster partner had been ambushed by a group of highwaymen, and the sound of battle had reached the ears of some taur demons that were also passing through. It became a three-way battle with the female and her monster emerging victorious.

Thinking back to the battle once again aroused the Gamemaster's curiosity. He went back to his station and pulled up the files of the girl and her monster.

The first bits of their files read:

_Player File #564: _

_Subject: Lucy Cranston_

_Gender: Female_

_Blood Type: O_

_Height: 5' 5''_

_Weight: 110 pounds_

_Eyes: Brown_

_Hair: Brown_

_Game Attribute: Water_

_Monster File #1265_

_Subject: Ethereal Guardian Seiryuu, Karin_

_Gender: Female_

_Type: God/Physical_

_Attribute: Water/Dark_

_Rarity: 7 Stars_

_Active Skill: Eastern Seven-Star Formation (Changes all orbs to water, wood, and dark orbs)_

_Leader Skill: Dance of the Rising Dragon (Attack x3.5 when attacking with water, wood, and dark orbs types at the same time)_

His reading was interrupted by a flashing alert in the top-right corner of his computer screen. He clicked on the alert and an image popped up of a young male Player in black armor walking alongside a female monster wielding what appeared to be some sort of pole weapon. They were in some vast cavern.

The Gamemaster accessed the dungeon's layout and jumped between different viewpoints in various chambers to see what opposition the two would be up against. The dungeon was mostly empty, and he frowned at this peculiarity. The icon in the bottom-right indicated that it was a special dungeon, but there seemed to be nothing interesting of note.

He reached the last chamber and panned the screen back and forth until he came upon an individual that crouched near the back wall of the chamber. The monster wore gold armor with angelic wings folded on the back.

The Gamemaster analyzed the monster and pulled up its file. He scanned over it quickly and his excitement grew.

_This! This is it! _

He rose from his seat and shouted to his staff, "I am sending a transition file to a number of you! We have a Player who has entered a dungeon in the _special _category. This is going to be an important fight ladies and gentleman. Let's give our viewers a show shall we?"

If the fight went well and his people did their job, the view count would easily double. This was going to be the first true fight in the virtual world. It was going to be a battle between God-type monsters.

* * *

The golden knight swam in a sea of his conjoined thoughts and emotions. Fear melded with joy, and anger became constricted by deep despair. He felt an uncomfortable pulsing sensation behind his eyes and faded cracks appeared and mended themselves over his vision like bursting branches of veins. A crimson hue like a shadow crept from the edges of his vision. He breathed heavily as the strange power of the chamber weighed itself upon him and intruded within his very being.

He forced his head down and stared at one of his armored hands.

Something had been there. Something had been in his hand. But now it was gone. Was it something important? He couldn't be sure.

He had no feeling. If there was no feeling, then how could he even care in the first place? Every time he strayed to consider his thoughts the hostile red in his eyes seemed to tremble with anger at his resistance.

_My name..._

He had a name. That was right.

The red that intruded upon his eyes enveloped them and piercing pain seemed to stab throughout his brain. It was a torture that threatened to rip away his existence, to discard it into a limbo that would leave him floating without purpose or meaning. He wanted to grab his head with his hands to numb the intensifying pain, but his body froze against his will. The spasm of pain subsided briefly, but it lingered just outside of his consciousness, as if daring him to defy it again.

_My name...Ver-_

The evil red stifled the thought, and then he knew no more.


	9. Chapter 8- Return

**A/N: ****As per usual: Images of some of the monsters can be found at the puzzle and dragons database. I greatly appreciate any and all reviews, critiques, suggestions, stuff like that. You can even PM me! Wow! And reviews are like coffee because, well, I had something clever I was going to write... Haha.**

**I sincerely hope you all enjoy the latest chapter. **

* * *

_"The corporation is what pulled our country out of the dirt. Enemies simply dug the grave as we tore ourselves apart. We were buried because we did not make the necessary sacrifices. We will be sure to get it right this time." -Thomas Malkin_

**Chapter 8- Return**

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Demeter Forest/Special Dungeon**

**In-Game Timer: Day 4**

**3:04 PM**

Leilan and Ray halted in their tracks as they entered a dimly lit, massive chamber. The previous caverns in the dungeon had been devoid of life, which put Ray and Leilan even more on guard as they proceeded into the chamber. It was hard to miss the individual waiting for them on the opposite side of the room.

The armored knight rose from his crouched position and proceeded towards Leilan and Ray at a slow, even pace. He did not draw his broadsword from the scabbard on his back, but his imposing presence was more than enough to exact its will on Ray.

Ray worked to control his trembling limbs, but he was only partially successful. He and Leilan were in a dungeon that he now knew was far beyond their abilities. It was way too early to be attempting a dungeon of this caliber. But he had given in to Leilan's insistence.

He glanced at his partner. His trembling ceased as he became distracted by Leilan's expression.

She stared open-mouthed at the golden knight who had now cleared half the distance between them. It was like she was in a daze. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

Ray managed to find his voice. "Leilan, what's the matter?"

"Verche," Leilan breathed. Her voice was barely audible.

That one name took Ray off guard. She said the name as if she knew Verche; not just his name, but personally. So it really was Verche. A god monster. In the previous game, he wasn't necessarily considered to be a particularly strong god, but even if this held true to this world, he was still far beyond their current level. Ray didn't know how to take Leilan's response.

"Do you know him or something?" Ray asked.

Leilan let out a slow breath before answering, "Yes. But please leave the rest of your questions for later." She cursed. It was an unfortunate situation. She didn't want to fight Verche. He was one of her comrades.

Ray could read the worry on her face. She didn't seem like the type to express her emotions so plainly. Ray knew that he needed to step up. It was his turn to assume the air of calm collectedness for his partner. If she continued with this current mental state, they didn't have a prayer of surviving this battle.

"If we beat Verche he should drop as an egg," Ray said. "Then he will hatch from the egg and we can add him to our team."

Leilan tore her eyes away from Verche. She was grateful for Ray's assurances and nodded her appreciation. The logic of his words cooled her mind and she was able to return to her normal self. Mostly. Given the fact that she had to practically kill her comrade would never return her to a fully keen mindset. But it was far better than before. By defeating Verche, he would be released from whatever controlled him to become an ally once more.

Ray reasoned that Verche would drop as an egg, but even he was unsure. Normally, at least one monster would drop as an egg in a dungeon, and upon completion of the dungeon, that monster could be added to the team. Over the past few days of exploring dungeons, not a single monster had dropped. He didn't know what this meant, but he prayed that this didn't hold true for god monsters as well. After all, how else would he be able to eventually reach a full team of monsters? Verche had to drop. He had to.

* * *

**Seattle, Washington **

**United States**

**May 25, 2020**

**Real World Time- 3:42 PM**

A man wearing a beanie hat and an Avenged Sevenfold shirt walked through the halls of the massive corporate building. The south wing of the building was bustling with employees from all of the various tech departments. He didn't particularly care for all of the cacophony and the closed spaces that the crowds caused from being so packed together. However, the chaos was enough to draw any suspicious eyes away from him. He was a little out of place with his informal attire, but the IT department was known for its lenient dress code.

The information he had gleaned from a few hours ago put him in an uncomfortable state of mind. One of the men in the black suits had summoned him to one of the rooms where a young male Player was choosing his monster partner before entering the virtual world. The Player had told him that one of the monsters he wanted to choose was missing from the roster. It was strange to think that someone could make such a mistake, especially since most of the work was automated for all of the tasks leading up to entry.

After fixing the issue, he had asked the Player for his name and returned to his station. With some digging around with the files that Emily Tanner had given him, he confirmed that the Player was indeed Ray Andylon, the _SSS _rank that was mentioned in a prior conversation.

Ray was a_ SSS _rank, and the monster that was his first choice had been missing from the roster. Coincidence? Absolutely not. The enemy was aware of Ray Andylon now, and since they had taken such measures to impede his progress, it could be safely assumed that they saw him as a potential threat; which meant Ray actually could be a possible ally in the future. He wasn't part of the enemy plan, but which side Ray would take was still unknown. He couldn't be trusted just yet.

The crowd of people began to thin out as he took a left down a side hallway and entered a small plaza with multiple elevators lining the walls. He had analyzed the layout of the building countless times to make sure he knew which elevator would present him with the least resistance depending upon the number of individuals that passed through his route.

As he was about to enter one of the elevators, he felt the vibration of his phone in a pocket of his jeans. He pulled it out and saw Emily's name on the caller ID. There were only two other people who had access to his secure line, but he still found himself breathing a sigh of relief when he recognized the number. He glanced up warily and observed the people around him. The area was still pretty loud and he noticed a corner next to an ATM machine that was a safe span from prying ears.

He answered the call and heard Emily's voice. "Everything good so far Rick?"

"Yeah. We're good. I'm at the first elevator. Are you in position?"

There was a shuffling on her end before she answered. Rick waited for her response, but her hesitation began to instigate worry.

Finally, she responded, "All good now."

"Okay, I'm about to enter the first elevator. Wait about five minutes after I hang up and then put the cameras I listed on the loop. I only need maybe a fifteen minute window."

"Got it. Be careful."

"Will do."

He hung up and proceeded back to the first elevator. Luckily, the elevator was crowded, making it easier to blend in so he wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb. His luck held out as most of the people of the elevator exited on the same floor that he did. Now it was time to reach the second elevator.

The halls were still painted with the same plain white color that made the building feel like some sort of hospital. The white also made the men in black stand out even more, making them extra intimidating. He walked past them and assumed an air of calm to indicate he was used to the atmosphere. The men paid him no mind as he turned the last corner to reach the last elevator.

He fished into his pocket for the keycard that would give him access to the elevator. He swore vehemently as his sweaty hand got stuck in the pocket with the keycard wedged between his fingers at an awkward angle. He hated jeans. The pockets were so damn small. He couldn't afford any delays, especially with the time constraint he had given Emily.

As he managed to wiggle his hand out of the pocket with the keycard, he heard a voice behind him that practically made him jump out of his skin. He turned to the voice faster than what would appear normal and saw a man in what appeared to be a lab coat eyeing him up and down. The man adjusted his spectacles and addressed him again.

"This is a restricted area. You mind telling me what you're doing up here?"

Rick froze at the question. He had an excuse made up in case this sort of situation should arise, but he found that his words were caught in his throat. His mouth opened but no words came out.

The man in the lab coat sighed. "IT department right? You recluses seem to have a hard time with people outside your little niche."

Rick thanked his lucky stars that this man had completely misunderstood his panic for simple social anxiety. The man saw Rick as one of the stereotypical antisocial tech geeks.

This stroke of luck was enough to calm him down so he could speak somewhat coherently.

"I'm, uh, looking for the third computer terminal area for the PADW project that's going on. The guys running it wanted me to, um, check out a small bug in one of the links or something."

The man in the lab coat cocked an eyebrow at this. "Then why are you heading to the Cell Lab?"

Rick turned back to the elevator and read the placard that was lined over the top. The words read: _Cellular Reproduction/Growth Testing Lab 2B_

Rick let out a nervous laugh and put his face in the palm of his hand. He shook his head and slapped himself on the forehead.

"I always seem to get lost in this stupid building. I can't stand this layout."

The man with the spectacles laughed with genuine humor. "Yeah, I hear yah on that one. This is my area of expertise and I still get lost from time to time." He threw a thumb over his shoulder in the other direction. "The elevator you're looking for is that way. Just one wrong turn that's all."

Rick nodded his appreciation and moved to pass him, but the man stopped him with a sidestep that caught Rick by surprise.

"I gotta ask," the man said. There didn't seem to be any indication that he suspected Rick of anything judging by his tone.

"You guys know stuff about all these apps and stuff right?" He pulled out his cellphone and looked around to make sure nobody was watching. He saw that Rick noticed this and shrugged. "Those guys in black are real hard-asses. Cellphones are restricted in this area, but it's not like anybody had a problem with it before until those guys showed up."

He opened up an app on his phone and Rick saw that it was the Puzzle and Dragons Viewer app.

The man handed the phone to Rick. "I'm trying to figure out how to pull up the split-screen setting so I can watch two Players at once, but the app doesn't come with a guide. Maybe you know how to do it?"

Rick sighed with relief, but this guy was going to give him a heart attack if he kept holding Rick up. The clock was ticking, and Emily would be putting the cameras into a loop soon. He was losing a lot of time.

Fixing the man's problem turned out to be relatively easy and Rick was grateful that the man had no further questions to ask him. The man gave Rick an appreciative slap on the back and went back to his work.

Rick quickened his pace to the opposite elevator and unconsciously gave one of the men in black a nod of greeting. The man made no indication that he noticed the gesture.

He placed the keycard over the scanner and the elevator doors parted. The elevator descended several floors below the base of the building and came to a smooth halt. The doors slid open to reveal a long hallway that intersected with two diverging stairways that led further downwards.

Rick checked his watch and cursed. He was already three minutes past the time he had told Emily to set the cameras. Now he was really cutting it close.

Rick had instructed Emily to set specific cameras to play the same footage over and over to avoid detection. He wished he had told her that all of the cameras would be put on loop simultaneously. If someone were to be walking past a camera at that time, their image would be played over and over. That would certainly seem strange to the security officers on duty.

There were only a few corporate employees down in this area, but even so, he limited himself to a brisk walk so he wouldn't draw any unwanted attention. A few passersby glanced at him curiously, but most of them paid him no mind as they continued examining documents on their clipboards or whatever else required their attention.

Rick hung the next right and took the stairway down two steps at a time when he was out of sight. As he rounded another bend he came upon a solid metal door. Another keycard scanner was planted in the wall next to the door handle with a numerical, holographic keyboard underneath. A second device with a small glass dome stuck out of the wall with a cylindrical device inside.

Rick produced another keycard from his pocket and the scanner accepted it with a short ping and a green light. He then typed in the numerical code and the scanner presented the same positive response. The next step, the retinal scanner, was going to be much trickier.

He pulled both of his sneakers off and examined the soles to find the loose bit of leather that would open the hidden compartments underneath. He wiggled the tip of his nail into one of the grooves in the bottom of the shoe and peeled back the rubber. This same process was repeated on the other shoe and he pulled out the contents hidden inside. The last piece he needed was in the tongue of one of the shoes, and so he dug his nail into the lightly stitched fabric where he had previously torn a barely- noticeable gap. A tiny plastic rod was inside, barely longer than an inch. The four other pieces from the soles of his shoes had two smooth planes and a rounded side. Rick placed all four pieces beside each other and held them together with the fingers on one hand. When they were all evenly placed together on their flat sides, he inserted the plastic rod through them and he heard a satisfying click as it attached the other pieces together, much like a three-dimensional puzzle.

The resulting sphere was slightly smaller than the size of a ping pong ball. It was nearly white all around with a blue hue and a circle of inky black at its center. It looked exactly like a human eyeball, and for all intents and purposes, it was. An artificial eye.

Rick took a deep breath and held the iris over the retinal scanner. He felt his sweat sticking to his skin when the scanner did not respond. He wondered if it had rejected the artificial eye. It could have been sending out an alert to security right now.

After a few more seconds, the familiar ping sounded and the third green light turned on. Rick breathed a huge sigh of relief.

_You truly were a genius Takamura._

A female voice welcomed him to the mainframe, "_Welcome, CEO Akio Kurosaki. For security purposes, this visit will be recorded in the Head Officer database for future reference."_

Rick ignored the female voice and entered the mainframe. He was running short on time. It was going to be very close.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Demeter Forest/Special Dungeon**

**In-Game Timer: Day 4**

**3:08 PM**

The knight who was once known as Verche deflected a hesitant strike from the emotionally shaken Leilan. It was out of character for her to be overwhelmed by something as detrimental as emotion in a fight. Her face didn't show it, but an internal battle was being waged.

Ray knew there was no possible way they could achieve victory with both their mindsets in turmoil. Leilan did not want to kill her comrade, even though Ray had insisted that he would drop as an egg and be reborn as his old self. Based upon their fights in the previous dungeons, he felt she somehow knew that this was not a guarantee. It was a possibility. Ray could be revived upon death and so could Leilan because she was his monster partner. There was no evidence that this would prove the same for a monster that was bound to a dungeon. And with Ray's own mental problems, the fight was already out of their favor.

Leilan side-stepped a second strike from Verche, but it forced her back on her heels, which gave Verche an opening to whirl about with his sword to slice along the outside of her thigh. She clenched her teeth in pain as she fought to reestablish her stance by allowing her momentum to roll over her heels. This motion enabled her to land on her toes, and she pushed off her balanced foot to dodge a second attack. Verche's sword grazed along her ankle, but it was nothing that would cause too much damage to her health.

Ray examined Verche's information as soon as his analysis was complete.

_Monster: Godly Knight of the Sky, Verche/Attribute: Light/Sub-Attribute: Light/Health: Unknown/ATK: Unknown/DEF: Unknown/Active Skill: Light Orb Change/Active Skill: Weapons of Light_

The analysis didn't provide any useful information. Most of it was common knowledge. Ray had no idea how much damage they could sustain from Verche's attacks. He didn't even know how much damage was needed to pierce his defenses or how much health he had. The explanation of the second active skill was rather vague. It simply said that Verche could call upon light weapons. Ray couldn't know what to expect from such a vague description.

Ray examined the board of orbs in front of him. He had been given a terrible board. Most of the orbs were water, wood, and dark. The only orbs useful to him were the few fire and light orbs available. He needed to make sure that he cleared out as much of the used space as possible so that the next board was more favorable.

He picked up a water orb with his finger and made as many combinations as he could to get rid of the useless orbs. He became distracted by a cry of pain from Leilan and he involuntarily glanced up to see how much danger she was in. The motion of his head forced his upper body to follow it, and the finger that was moving the orbs accidentally lifted from the holographic screen, ending Ray's time for matching orbs indefinitely.

Ray stared in dismay at the board as it closed up. Trepidation transformed to anger as he punched the database on his wrist. He had messed up again, and it would probably cost them dearly. Leilan had hardly any power to fight off Verche.

But now was not the time to wallow in self-pity.

* * *

Leilan backed away from a concentrated thrust from Verche that was accompanied with a short jab from one of his wings. He was expertly using his wings as a weapon when the opportunity presented itself. Verche's broadsword was overwhelming, and Leilan noticed Verche attempting to insert his sword into the curve of her weapon, which would then give him some control of her upper body so he could form an opening in her stance for his wings to penetrate without any risk of damage. The swift blows of the wings did not decrease her health much, but that was not the purpose of these attacks. They were meant to force her back on her heels for yet another strike from the broadsword.

Leilan noticed Ray out of the corner of her eye as he finished a board of orbs. He had the same expression on his face from the battle at the outpost and in the past dungeons. He was losing control.

Verche took advantage of this distraction and leveled his wrist just as he saw Leilan's eyes dart to the side. He pointed the small shield on his arm directly at Leilan's upper body, just below the neckline. The small shield on his wrist launched itself at Leilan and he rushed forward immediately after the dangerous projectile locked onto its target.

Leilan barely noticed the swirling missile as she tore her attention away from her partner. Her arm had relaxed along with her diverted attention, which forced her to lose that precious half of a second that was needed to block the speeding shield. The shield glanced off the pole of her halberd with a metallic clang and angled itself towards her shoulder. The shield collided and destroyed her shaky defensive stance, bringing one of her legs back so that she now faced Verche sideways.

Verche had already closed the distance with a rebound offensive. There was no way for Leilan to bring up her halberd in time. It was now held in her arm that was opposite from Verche with the curved blade scraping the ground at an awkward angle. Leilan braced herself for the attack.

As Verche prepared to slice through Leilan's body, a familiar figure jumped in front of her.

"Activate puzzle mode!" Ray shouted.

The bluish barrier appeared around him and enacted its exterior force. Anything within the circumference of the barrier was forced outwards; this included Leilan, who felt herself being pushed back along the ground outside of the barrier.

Verche, already in the midst of his swing, could not possibly halt his motion. The broadsword collided with the barrier and the blue hue began to bend and shape like waves beating within a closed space. This moment was fleeting, and the barrier reinstated itself into its perfect, smooth semi-circle. Ray felt the energy of the sword's blow against the barrier seep into him. It was a strange lukewarm feeling that spread throughout his body. Then, the energy recollected itself according to Ray's will.

All that was on Ray's mind was hurting Verche. The energy understood this and concentrated itself at eye level within the barrier. The cerulean hue morphed into a swirling lime green, and then, it launched itself at Ray's assailant.

Verche lifted his sword to deflect the beam of green. His shield was now gone after its attack on Leilan. A portion of the beam split against the edge of Verche's sword and arced towards the ceiling which fractured into a hail of stone. The other half of the beam drove its way into Verche's chest armor and plunged him into the ground. He angled his body in an attempt to put himself into a gramby roll that would focus his direction towards his shoulder to bring him upright. A stray rock that had fallen from the ceiling mocked this plan. Verche's shoulder made heavy contact with the edge of the rock and sent him sprawling sideways in an uncontrollable spin. Verche landed flat on his chest in a heap of debris. Many of the sharp points of the jagged rock found creases in Verche's armor and drove through. The wounds were shallow, but they inflicted plenty of pain nonetheless. It was enough to provide Ray and Leilan a brief respite.

The beam from the barrier had taken Ray by surprise, but he didn't take the time to admire the damage he had dealt to Verche. The board was ready again. Leilan was still in the midst of using the meager energy he had given her earlier, so the new board would not actually distribute the energy until a later time in the fight. They would have to stall as long as possible until the time came when Leilan could enact an effective counter-offensive.

Before he placed his finger on the board he heard Leilan's voice behind him, "Don't think."

Ray turned to her in surprise. She was in a poor state from her one-sided clashes with Verche. Blood had already begun to crawl down the side of her leg and the most recent blow to her shoulder was turning a nasty purple color. Despite all of this, her expression appeared to me more damaged than her actual body. The sight of her in such a weakened state made Ray's body feel sick, as if he was sharing in her hurt. It wasn't guilt. It was something else he couldn't quite place.

"Remember what I told you," Leilan said. There was a renewed confidence in her tone. "Don't think. Just act."

Ray turned away from her and stared at the board. He didn't understand how she could assume such a confident posture with the way the fight was going. They were, for lack of a better word, getting their asses kicked. Her words didn't fully sink in until her next statement.

"You did well in the Departure Tower."

Ray regarded her with a confounded look.

Leilan just smiled.

Her expression confused him. He somehow managed to find his voice, "Y-you were watching me? How?"

Leilan ignored the question and strode around the barrier to stand in front of him. "Now's not the time."

Ray looked past her and saw that Verche was now rising and already had his sword at the ready.

"No thinking," Leilan repeated.

Ray nodded weakly and stared down at the board of orbs. He didn't take his gaze from it as he thought back to Leilan's bouts with Verche.

Ray selected a light orb and spoke, "I got it. And you take the same advice."

It was Leilan's turn to be taken aback. Her bewilderment was brief, but Ray's comment was enough. He was correct. She had to believe that he was right about Verche returning as his normal self.

And besides, if they didn't defeat him now, what other group might come along to defeat him? Would they be friends or foes?

And what if nobody else did discover this dungeon? Would she just leave Verche here to rot in this dungeon alone never to see the light of day? He would be deprived of the precious light that might as well have been his life. She would never be able to forgive herself.

Leilan took a deep breath. "Thank you, Ray."

With that last word, Leilan firmly grasped the pole of her weapon and rushed forward with new-found vigor. She would save Verche and they would get the hell out of this forsaken dungeon.

* * *

**Seattle, Washington **

**United States**

**May 25, 2020**

**Real World Time- 3:47 PM**

Rick weaved his way around the seemingly endless rows of consoles and computers that littered the large control room. The mainframe was connected to multiple servers that were currently dark and unused. The virtual world was currently running on a LAN network so that nobody from the outside could gain access. There were only certain areas that the virtual world could be accessed: the Gamemaster's control room, the Players' login points, and the mainframe.

The Gamemaster's control room was full of only people with direct authorization from the Gamemaster himself, or from corporate CEOs such as Kurosaki, Alsheimer, and Malkin. Getting into the control room was impossible given Rick's current falsified status. There was no way he could fake his information in-person to break through such a high level on the chain of command.

The Players' login points were also not an option. The headgear that sent them to the virtual world was programmed to admit very specific individuals. The headgears were personalized and only admitted the individual assigned to it. When Players logged out from time to time, the headgear and console would be scanned to allow updates to the game. The risk was far too great and nobody could be trusted just yet.

The only place left that could fulfill his needs was the mainframe. Only the corporate CEOs were permitted to enter this area. Some high-level security personnel were given clearance as well, but only with corporate approval that came straight from the top and with an escort.

Rick examined the various consoles. Much of them involved the classified records of Future Artificial Networking: some high security applications, consumer statistics, and other hidden processes. Rick would have loved to take the time to hack into the secrets of the corporation if he hadn't been given is strict time frame.

Rick finally found a section of the massive mainframe that he was searching for and he pulled out his phone. He opened the small compartment underneath the phone's base that held the USB wireless adapter. Rick had made a few modifications to the adapter and enhanced the signal to also provide access to only a single device. The wireless signal would not be detected by any other devices. He hoped. It was impossible to tell what security measures were in place for this project in cyberspace. Technology had provided too many variables over the past years.

The USB ports were actually inside a pull-out section of the mainframe, and he carefully slid it out to reveal dozens of areas for his adapter to connect. He traced his finger along them and stumbled upon the female port he was searching for.

Rick connected the wireless adapter to the USB port. He then opened an application to examine the signal to see if it had gone active. After a few seconds, the cellphone confirmed that the adapter was connected. He was thankful that he had decided against making this application of his own design available to the public.

Now all that was left was to confirm that his laptop miles away was able to receive the signal. The signal had to be immensely powerful, and he hoped that the adapter had enough strength. Upping the reach of the signal had been a major pain in the ass.

The time on Rick's phone indicated that he only had a few minutes to spare. He chuckled and thought that he must have set some kind of record.

Rick shoved his phone back into his pocket and pushed the pull-out shelf of the mainframe into its previous position. He was glad to see that the wireless adapter was concealed. It was likely that nobody would find it as long as he/she wasn't searching for it specifically. There was also probably no reason for this section of the mainframe to be used since everything was on the LAN network.

He hurried out of the room and took the stairs more cautiously this time around. There were still only a few people in the area and they ignored him altogether.

Rick called for the elevator and shifted back and forth on his toes and heels nervously. Just before the elevator arrived, he noticed an employee in one of the offices watching a video on his laptop. A young man in dark attire and a female wielding a halberd were locked in combat against a dangerous knight in gold armor.

Rick stared at the screen for a moment. He recognized that young man.

As the elevator doors opened the familiar face hit him. It was Ray Andylon.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Demeter Forest/Special Dungeon**

**In-Game Timer: Day 4**

**3:12 PM**

Ray placed his finger on the light orb he had chosen that would bring the rest of the orbs together.

_No thinking. Just see._

He shut out the battle that was going on in front of him. As of right now, he was not a part of it. All that should concern him was the board of orbs laid out in front of him. What happened after was after.

He stared at the board and took in the different positions of all the orbs. He had done well to clear off the dark and water orbs. Some wood orbs still remained, but they were not too detrimental. After a few seconds, he gasped as he saw a path that he could take the light orb along that would form...

Ray moved the orb faster than he ever had since entering the new world. He saw it. He saw the path. The path that would lead to the power Leilan needed. The combos formed naturally. The movements were smooth. As the orbs faded to nothingness, more fell from above, creating even more combinations in a number of successful skyfalls. The number of combos reached five, seven, nine, and then, miraculously, it reached the double-digits. The number twelve stared back at him, and it distributed energy with the contribution of each combination. This power intensified and closed in on itself as the board turned gray and locked.

How much power had he really given her? Ray was not sure, but they would find out once a new board of orbs was ready.

Leilan did well to hold Verche back. She even managed to counter a few attacks with her own that put Verche on a brief defensive. Her strikes were precise and calculated once again, her stance firm and without a single misstep as she planned her next attack whilst in mid-strike.

Verche reoriented himself as the blade of Leilan's halberd glanced off his wrist armor and scraped along his arm. His willingness to allow the blade to cut into his exposed flesh took Leilan by surprise. Her forward momentum was enough for Verche to place the tip of his blade right in her path of movement.

Before Leilan's body drove into the blade, the power generated by Ray surged into her. An outward force that resulted pushed Verche back, his armored feet skid along the ground as he attempted to retain his stance.

Leilan's back arched and her body trembled as this new, overwhelming energy swelled and dispersed through her limbs.

This power. The power of the orbs. It had exceeded all of her expectations. Her mind and body just simply hadn't been ready for it.

If she could receive such power from this Player even without her leader skill, then what other potential did he have hidden away?

_These Players..._Leilan thought.

They were the key to everything. With them, they could win the coming battles. They could win this war. She could save Verche.

As the power subsided, Leilan stared at her hands and saw the orange and crimson aura that emanated from them. She grabbed her halberd and the flames from her hands seeped into the weapon. The blade soon resembled a similar quality.

The knight who was once Verche took a controlled step back, not the least bit intimidated by Leilan's astounding display. He drove his broadsword into the stone floor. As he did so, a force akin to Leilan's rushed throughout the room and nearly threw his adversaries off their feet. A board of orbs consisting of weapon symbols appeared, and he went to work matching them before Leilan and Ray could collect themselves.

Verche finished the board with a total of six combinations. Six pillars of light appeared from the ceiling and an assortment of weapons drove themselves into the floor.

Ray was just barely able to discern the board that Verche had formed. The skill was completely unexpected and was nothing like the active skills he was accustomed to.

"Leilan, what the hell kind of skill is that?" he shouted in disbelief.

Before Leilan could respond, Verche grabbed the first weapon firmly and launched himself at her, beating his wings more furiously than ever. The scythe that Verche wielded grazed along Leilan's side as she redirected it with her halberd. The blade of the scythe cut across behind her as she extended her arm out to distance it. As she did so, she beat her wings once to lift her from the ground and drove both feet into Verche's head. Even as Verche reared back from the blow, Leilan executed a graceful back flip. She landed as Verche was about to hit the ground, swung her halberd in a downward arc, and dug the blade of her halberd into Verche's chest. Verche grunted as the blade attempted to cut through the resisting armor.

The halberd sliced into the armor in a shower of sparks and screaming metal. But even the concentrated power in the blade was not enough to pierce all the way through.

Verche made a quick sign with his fingers that went unnoticed by Leilan, and before she could even respond, a short sword, from out of nowhere, impaled her right shoulder.

Leilan's eyes widened and she let out a pained gasp as the short sword violently pierced through her flesh. It penetrated all the way to the hilt where it was forced to halt its skewer; however, the driving force still remained. The sword carried Leilan straight back as if nothing had interrupted its flight. Leilan felt a sensation as if she were weightless and the sword drove her into the opposite wall in a shower of eradicated stone.

* * *

Ray had already been on the move to flank their opponent as Verche initiated the sneak-attack on Leilan. As Verche rose from the ground, Ray swung his katana downward, only for it to be intercepted by Verche's wrist guards. Verche crossed his other wrist underneath to halt the weight Ray was distributing to the blade.

A monster was just simply too powerful for a Player. Especially a god-type monster.

Verche forced his arms out wide and pushed Ray's blade a sufficient distance so he could roll to the side and reestablish his stance. He discarded the scythe in favor of a weapon more suited to his style: an enhanced broadsword.

Ray glanced over at where Leilan sat gripping the sword driven into her shoulder. She was obviously in terrible shape after that last devastating attack.

_Just a little longer, _he thought desperately. _Just a little longer and the next board will be ready. I should be able to heal her with some heart orbs._

Verche interrupted his thoughts with a quick thrust of his sword that Ray dodged with his quick reflexes. A second strike glanced off the side of his katana, but it unexpectedly changed course and drove itself into his leading foot.

Ray stared down at his impaled foot in disbelief as blood seeped out of the tear in his leather boot where the weapon was lodged. He didn't scream. He didn't make a sound. But the pain was unlike anything he had ever felt; worse than when he had fractured his wrist falling off his bike, more excruciating than when he had taken a line drive to the face at baseball practice, more than any of it. The pain threshold in this world was lowered. He had known that since the Departure Tower. But this...

His eyes were drawn back impulsively to Leilan who was now rising unsteadily to her feet.

The pain began to numb. As it dissipated, Ray could see a slight shift in Verche's weight. He was leaning further forward on the hilt of his blade. It drove the sword deeper into Ray's foot, but Verche was also moving his upper body towards him.

Ray looked down at the leather straps attached to his wrist. He had forgotten what his second weapon choice had been up until now.

_ Aw what the hell, _he thought desperately.

Ray flicked the switch between his thumb and pointer finger and the hidden blade appeared from the metal compartment beneath his wrist. He simultaneously lashed out with a desperate right hook and drove the blade through the crease between Verche's helmet and the pauldrons attached to his shoulders. The spurting blood was confirmation that the blade had cut into its intended target.

Verche groaned as he instinctively reached with his hand to stifle the wound. As Verche fell forward, Ray lifted his opposite knee and drove it into his already damaged helmet. With the wound in his neck and this second disorienting blow, Verche reeled back and his grip loosened on his weapon.

Ray saw his opportunity. He pulled the blade out of his foot and managed to ignore the catastrophic pain. His adrenaline seemed to pump more as he quelled the hurt. But he made the same mistake as Leilan. Seizing this opportunity and witnessing the collapse of his opponent's defense unwittingly fed his confidence. He failed to notice the movement of Verche's fingers as he fell.

Before Ray could drive his sword through Verche, the tip of a spear entered his back.

* * *

Leilan saw the spear that drove into Ray. Ray turned his head and stared down at the spear in disbelief. His sword fell from his grasp to clatter on the floor. The resounding metal echoed in the silence that followed. He touched the area where the spear had penetrated and stared at his blood-stained hand. Upon seeing the blood, he collapsed.

Leilan tested her wings and found that they at least still retained their strength. She didn't bother to remove the short sword that still penetrated her shoulder. She pushed off the wall and flew furiously for Verche, her halberd supported by her one working arm.

Leilan let out a gasp as Verche prepared to finish off her partner.

Then, suddenly, Verche was flying backwards through the air in the opposite direction. He landed a few yards away from Leilan's position and she redirected her course.

Leilan could now see what had thrown Verche back. Ray's barrier was in effect and the green aura that had exacted the force began to dissipate. Leilan laughed with relief as Ray rose unsteadily to his feet. The barrier had also pushed the spear out of his back. Anything hostile within a Player barrier was forcibly removed.

"Leilan!" Ray shouted with what energy he could muster.

She turned to him in mid-flight and saw him pressing some unseen button on his database. At the same time she felt a throbbing sensation from her halberd.

_This is._

She landed a short distance from Verche who was already charging forward. She drove the blade of her halberd into the stone floor. "Initiate active skill _Southern Seven-Star Formation_!"

The floor seemed to erupt beneath her as seven glowing objects burst forth from the stone. They shined brilliantly in the chamber for a short time before entering Leilan and the halberd that was still embedded in the stone.

She tapped into the ability of one of the shining objects and the short sword in her shoulder eased itself out of her body and fell to the floor. The wound bled for a brief time before being sealed by another one of the gleaming stars. Her health was not even close to being fully recovered, but she felt it would be enough.

A holographic board appeared in front of her face. She could see the orbs moving over each other to form combinations that would soon provide their power. Her ability had also turned all of the orbs on Ray's board into light, wood, and fire orbs. Luckily for them, the vast majority of these orbs were light and fire, perfect for Leilan's main and sub-attribute.

They moved at an incredible speed.

Verche had nearly closed the distance between them.

_So this is what you can really do for me Ray, _Leilan thought.

The orbs completed their work and the power entered Leilan's body once again. It was even greater than before. And this time she was ready for it.

The outward force from the orbs did not deter Verche in the least this time. He charged through it unfazed and prepared to subdue Leilan with a two-handed strike from his sword.

Leilan swung her halberd as he came within reach. The halberd collided with the sword briefly for just a split-second. And then, after some resistance, the sword shattered into hundreds of shards of metal and dancing light particles. The halberd continued its way towards Verche and completely sliced through his body armor. A brutal gash from shoulder to opposite thigh spurted a fountain of blood as the blade cut deep into his flesh.

Leilan finished the swing and averted her eyes as the gold knight fell to his knees. Verche wordlessly stared down at the lethal wound. He quivered in this stance for a short time and turned his head to Leilan.

Leilan heard a muffled voice from the knight's helmet, "I'm sorry, Leilan_._"

He collapsed face-down on the bloodied floor.

Leilan also fell to her knees and rested her halberd gently on the ground next to her. She leaned forward and used her trembling hands to support her.

_I'm so sorry Verche. _


	10. Chapter 9- Journey

**A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry for delaying this chapter a bit. Holiday vacation and real life stuff and all. But here it is. My chapters are also a pretty decent length so that contributes to the wait time.**

* * *

"_There is no trap so deadly as the one you set for yourself." -Raymond Chandler, __Long Goodbye_

**Chapter 9- Journey**

**Seattle, Washington **

**United States**

**May 25, 2020**

**Real World Time- 4:15 PM**

Thomas Malkin and Christopher Alsheimer sat in the dim office of Akio Kurosaki. Once again, Kurosaki displayed his incompetence by showing up late to the set meeting time. If the information that Kurosaki had to relay to them was so important, then he could at least have been punctual about it. Now it just felt like they were wasting their time when they could be overseeing work that needed attention. But no, Kurosaki had insisted.

It would have been nice to use the time to analyze his AI more, but his curiosity about this supposed "hiccup" in the plan had torn him away against his better judgment. The men and women in the Gamemaster's control room seemed competent enough, but there were a few that he noticed who were only using one finger on each hand to type. Not really a reassuring sign of their ability. But it was of little consequence. As long as his AI wasn't the one impeding the progress, then he could care less about the failings of others from a separate company. In fact, it could only help his own company's image in the long run.

Malkin glanced around the room and observed the sparse furnishings. The room gave off a claustrophobic, enclosed feeling. It was not the office for the executive of a company. Malkin had even given him the choice of any office in the building. The room seemed in poor taste, but, well, to each his own. The lack of décor made it difficult to read further into Kurosaki's character.

Malkin observed Alsheimer who stared at the walls awkwardly to try and lessen the uneasiness of the wait. He almost felt envious of Alsheimer's position. Almost. Sometimes ignorance truly was bliss.

As he was about to address him, the door to the office flew open and Kurosaki rushed inside while still in the midst of adjusting his tie.

"I apologize gentleman for the delay, but there was an issue that required my attention," Kurosaki rushed the words so that they were barely coherent.

"Not a problem," Malkin responded. He made it a point to add emphasis to his words to indicate his impatience.

Alsheimer simply leaned forward in his seat and clasped his hands.

Kurosaki pulled open a drawer at his desk and rifled through a pile of papers. Malkin frowned as Kurosaki dropped a small stack on the floor and muttered something inaudible under his breath.

He spoke when he seemed to find what he was searching for, "As you both know...right, the universal code that the virtual world runs on is constantly evolving at an astonishing rate. It is also accompanied by a similar program that is able to run it and amends itself according to the code. Fascinating really how a code bends the program instead of the program-"

Malkin interrupted him, "Yes, we are aware of this. Can you get to the point? We don't need these frivolities."

Kurosaki cleared his throat and collected himself following Malkin's sudden interruption. "Ah, yes of course, well, you see, there is a problem concerning the code itself, er..."

Kurosaki trailed off and glanced between his two guests uneasily. Malkin could tell that the executive was more out of sorts than usual. A small hiccup? Yeah right.

Both Malkin and Kurosaki were surprised when they heard Alsheimer speak up. There seemed to be a hint of vehemence in his voice that Malkin couldn't quite place. The young executive's eyes stared hard at Kurosaki.

"What in the hell happened? What is wrong with the code?"

"Well," Kurosaki started, "We don't really know how it works."

The shock was plain on their faces. Didn't know how it works? What was that supposed to mean? Kurosaki's own company was responsible for the creation of the universal code in the first place. They even made the program that was able to run it. The statement didn't make the least bit of sense.

"What in the hell are you talking about?" Malkin asked evenly. He even surprised himself by how he was able to maintain such an air of calm. "Your company made the damn code. How can you not know how it works?"

Kurosaki cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well, technically, it was Takamura who made the code."

Alshemier spoke again this time, "And what? Wait, are you saying that the only person who knows about the code is now deceased?"

Kurosaki nodded. "Yes, that is exactly what I am saying."

"And Takamura left nothing behind?"

"Well, we are looking into that."

"Then just trace the code back to the original source."

"It is evolving at such a pace that nobody, not even in a collaborative project, could possibly keep up with it."

"There are other methods, other programs to be implemented."

"The only program that can interpret it is the one being used now."

"We have digital organisms and the newly remodeled artificial reboots."

"They all get destroyed. The replication is so fast that it deprives all countermeasures of any computational resources."

Malkin interrupted the two of them, "And let me guess. Takamura made the program that runs it too. Am I right?"

Malkin could practically hear Kurosaki swallow at the observation. He looked down at his desk in defeat. It was enough of a confirmation.

Alshemier stared agape at the floor, his eyes and hands trembling with the horrible realization.

"So what you are saying is, this project is all for nothing."

Alsheimer suddenly rose from his seat and planted his fists on Kurosaki's desk. Malkin had never seen him lose his cool like this. The calm demeanor that Alsheimer usually assumed was now gone. He was passionate about his work. And now all of it might be put into jeopardy. All of the effort he and his employees had put into the project...for absolutely nothing.

"How can you not know?" Alsheimer growled.

Kurosaki shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry. Takamura never did tell us how he discovered the code. We just simply worked with it in the program. That's all. Without the original source of the code, if the program or this facility should collapse, it will be lost forever."

Alsheimer couldn't handle anymore. He punched the desk one last time before he stormed out of the room. He threw open the door and slammed it behind him. The pictures on the walls shook from the force.

Malkin waited a while to see if Kurosaki had anything more to say. The man seemed shaken by Alsheimer's anger. Or perhaps it was more by his words. Having someone spell out one's fears tended to have more of an effect than replaying it over and over again in one's own head.

Malkin sighed and moved to leave the room.

He stopped at the door and turned to Kurosaki. "We will see what can be done about this."

Then he added, "You all really screwed this one up."

He left Kurosaki to muddle in his thoughts.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Demeter Forest/Special Dungeon**

**In-Game Timer: Day 4**

**3:21 PM**

Ray limped over to Leilan who still sat on her knees staring at where Verche's body had once been. Particles of light data floated all around them in an array of bright colors that lit the chamber.

Ray could see that Leilan's wounds were now healing since they had completed the dungeon. He winced in pain as he took another strained step to stand next to her. Their injuries were healing at a slower rate than he could have anticipated. He applied too much weight on the foot that had been impaled by Verche's sword and he was overcome by a dizzy spell as the pain swelled.

The two comrades sat in silence as the particles of Verche continued to swirl and dip. Minutes passed, and still the fragments of light continued their uninterrupted dance.

"Leilan I-" Ray started, but he simply had no idea what words could possibly express his sympathy. He had told her that Verche would return as his old self. Now he felt like he had cheated her, or perhaps deceived her in order for her to fight for their survival.

Leilan interrupted him before he could continue, "It's not your fault," she said quietly. The pain in her voice made Ray's stomach hurt.

"Better this than having to sit in this rotten place forever."

Ray didn't know how to respond to her reasoning.

"Leilan, you don't have to-"

The words caught in his throat as he saw a change in the movements of a group of particles that drifted in front of his eyes. They faltered and ceased all movement. It was as if a chain reaction had started. As one fragment stopped, the ones closest to it also froze. The acknowledgment of the other specks of light continued until even Leilan, still absorbed in her sadness, noticed the change as well.

Leilan rose from her knees and stood next to Ray staring in bewilderment.

After a brief moment, the light particles drifted back to where Verche's body had rested and converged. They warped and twisted around each other until in their place was a gold egg barely larger than the size of one's hand.

Ray and Leilan stared at the egg. Neither one of them dared to touch it. And they didn't need to.

It was a brilliant sight to behold as the egg suddenly exploded in a splash of luminous yellow. A glowing lump of light formed into the shape of a body. Glowing fingers flexed and limbs bent as the shining mass convulsed. Then, it came to rest as the last of the light merged.

In place of the light was the unconscious, armored form of Verche.

Ray and Leilan simply stood in shock within the stillness that followed. Leilan didn't move until she saw the slight twitch of Verche's body and the barely discernible, muffled groan that escaped from his helmet. Before Verche even had time to gather his bearings, Leilan was already back on her knees and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. Verche's warrior instincts kicked in for moment, and he thought that he was somehow under attack. He relaxed himself as he realized who was holding him.

He wordlessly placed a hand on Leilan's back in a comforting gesture.

Ray respectively stood to the side and watched the exchange. He tore his eyes away from them and gazed around the room to take in the result of the battle.

Part of a crumbled wall here and a shattered ceiling there. Debris was strewn throughout one half of the far end of the room. And the blood. The blood splattered nearby was enough for Ray to force his gaze away.

A recurring thought returned to him, _This is far too real._

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Demeter Forest**

**In-Game Timer: Day 4**

**3:30 PM**

Ray kept to his own thoughts as they returned back to the outpost. The forest was silent the whole trip and not a single enemy had dared to cross their path. On one occasion Ray had noticed a group of demons crouched behind a pair of squat hills with their tridents and pikes held at the ready. But as soon as the two god monsters trailing behind Ray appeared, they immediately backed off and retreated into the safety of the forest beyond. They sensed the combined power that emanated from the team.

Ray stopped at the edge of the forest that opened up into the clearing holding the outpost.

Leilan and Verche paused and waited for him to speak. They could sense the concerns that must have been welling up inside him since the battle in the dungeon.

Ray crossed his arms and leaned against a tree and heaved a heavy sigh. "Okay," Ray started, "I guess you both know I have a lot of questions to ask about all of this. Something isn't right."

Before Ray could continue, Leilan stepped forward and lifted a finger to silence him. Ray stared at her quizzically as she shook her head.

"In due time," she whispered. "Your people. They have eyes and ears everywhere."

_So she knows the people of my world are watching, _Ray reasoned. He knew that something strange was going on, but now her words had confirmed his suspicions.

"Fine then. I know where we can go."

Ray opened up his database and scrolled through the menus until he found one that opened up the map for Pirugan. The continent was massive. He traced the Bakke Mountains until he located Millshore. He took note of the clearing where the outpost was situated and decided to take the time to mark it on his map. To the northeast was a symbol of a house and right next to it was a second symbol of what looked like a cluster of towers.

Ray lifted up the database so that Verche and Leilan had a clear view of it. He pointed to the house symbol. "All Players are given a place to live when they enter this world," he explained. "It's safe to talk there."

Leilan examined the map and grimaced. "They didn't make it easy for you to get there." She pointed to a gray patch between the dwelling and the edge of Demeter Forest. "Those are deadlands. If we want to avoid those then we will have to wrap around to Millshore first and then travel along Lake Mercury."

"I'm guessing I should just assume these deadlands are dangerous just by the name," Ray said.

"That is why the city, Sarkast, has most of its defenses concentrated to the west," Verche added. "Years ago, that area used to be farmland. Everything living in that vicinity fell victim to a plague and it was cut off to protect the rest of the populace. The dead now walk there."

Ray chuckled, "Great, so zombies then. Yeah, I think we'll avoid that area. So we stop in Millshore and then head for Sarkast. Sounds good."

Leilan shook her head. "No. We avoid Millshore. Despite our current relations with Irina and her soldiers, I don't think we will pass through the town so easily."

"Somebody say my name?"

Leilan, Verche, and Ray both looked up from the map and saw Irina and a squad of soldiers approaching them. Irina had a broad grin on her face and the soldiers also seemed to be in a high spirits upon seeing the trio.

"Looks like you returned to us with success." She nodded a greeting to Verche who returned it.

Leilan gestured to Verche and introduced him officially, "Irina, this is Verche. Our new comrade. Verche, this is Irina Roche."

"A pleasure," Verche said.

Ray ignored the fact that she said Verche was a "new" comrade. He was about to speak until Irina interrupted him.

"Don't worry. I heard enough to get the idea," she said. "It's true. A Player and two monsters would probably not be too welcome in Millshore. That being said, you have been a great help clearing most of this area of the demon threat, so I would at least like to repay you myself on behalf of Millshore."

Irina nodded to one of the soldiers who shrugged a leather bag off his shoulder. He walked up to Ray and held the bag out by its straps. Ray accepted it with a quick word of thanks and opened the bag to stare inside. His eyes widened as he saw a red jewel that let off a brilliant gleam despite being shut out from the light. A crimson, metallic design in the shape of a flame covered its base.

Ray stared back up at Irina mouth agape. "Irina I-I can't possibly-"

Irina lifted a hand and smiled. "A miner discovered it within the mountains. I know what it is. I also know that these spirit jewels are useless to humans."

"This puts you at risk," Leilan chimed in. "If your leaders were to find out about this..."

The soldier who had handed Ray the bag spoke, "That won't be a problem. Those who know of this will keep their mouths shut."

Ray remembered the respect these soldiers had shown Irina out on the road to the outpost. The way they kept silent with just a word and how swiftly they went about following her commands. They had entered the battle at the outpost without hesitation and without question. These men did not fight for the leaders sitting contentedly in Millshore. They fought for Irina.

But still, a spirit jewel! He couldn't believe his luck. Not only had a new monster become part of the team, but he now had one of the rarest materials in the entire world in his possession. Spirit jewels were usually used as advanced evolution material to transform monsters. He wondered what he would be able to use it for later on in this world.

He added the jewel to his inventory and it disappeared from his hands.

"When will you be leaving us?" Irina asked.

Ray turned to Leilan for confirmation. It was already drawing towards evening, and the trip would take a few days without a doubt.

"We leave at first light," Leilan answered.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Mercury Lake**

**In-Game Timer: Day 7**

**10:47 AM**

The trip to Sarkast was taking longer than any of them had anticipated. The corrupted ground of the deadlands were drawn further south than Leilan recalled. Much further south. The undead could not venture outside the blighted land, but it also meant that it was drawing closer to Millshore's north side. This, in turn, meant that the three warriors would have to travel further east rather than moving diagonally on a straight shot to Lake Mercury. Wrapping around cost them the last bit of daylight on the first day.

Ray had suggested stopping in Millshore since they were only a few miles from its west gate. And under cover of night with less activity, they might encounter less resistance from the populace.

Leilan was about to agree when Verche informed them of a rocky section near the deadlands that would provide enough shelter. It would also be hidden from the eyes of travelers and demons.

The weather on the second day was less than favorable. A storm had driven in from over Lake Mercury and had prevented the trio from moving for the better part of the day. They set out early afternoon and reached the southwestern edge of the lake by late evening, well after the sun had gone down. The decision to continue during the night was risky, but the group encountered no resistance.

A hill overlooking the lake amidst a copse of trees provided plenty of cover. The height advantage also ensured that the group would notice any enemies well before they saw them amongst the trees.

After much debate, Ray had decided to leave the virtual world briefly after an alert on his database informed him that he had been in the game for nearly six hours. His body in the real world still needed nourishing despite the fact he had eaten and slept in the virtual one.

He had eaten faster than ever before and jumped right back into his seat to log back in. After all, thirty minutes in his own world was a half day in the virtual one. There was no time to waste, and he didn't want to keep his monster companions waiting.

Not only that, but the faster they got to Sarkast, the faster he would get to his home. Which also meant that he would soon be able to find out just what the hell was really going on with this world.

* * *

Ray and his monster team hid behind the lip of the hill that they had used to set up their camp. Below was a small expanse of low, squatting trees that halted a few feet from the edge of Lake Mercury. A group of chubby monsters with sapphire-colored scales roamed along the shore and waded into the shallow water in search of something unknown. The ones in the water took random opportunities to drive their tridents into the water to skewer the fish that swam nearby. The fins on the sides of their heads flapped back and forth as they strained their ears to listen to the sounds of the forest that might be worthy of note.

Ray opened his database and began a scan of the creatures.

After a few seconds the analysis read: _Marine Goblin/Type-Attacker/Attribute-Water/Attack-60/Defense-0/Active Skill-Guard Stance Water/Active Skill-Triwater Defense (3)_

Weaklings.

It seemed best to avoid a conflict if at all possible. Sure, defeating enemies would provide a good chunk of experience to gain more strength by leveling up, but the alliances between the demons at the Millshore outpost indicated too many possible variables. There might be other enemies lying in wait. Plus, Verche was still in a weakened state from the mental toll of the dungeon (which was another concern Ray wanted to address). But waiting too long could cost them another day to reach Sarkast. They had already wasted a day circumventing the deadlands. Another day was unacceptable.

Ray closed the database and turned to his companions. "So, any suggestions?"

Verche crouched off further to the side and eyed the area advancing to the east. This area of the lake seemed quiet enough.

Leilan also observed the land west towards Sarkast where another group of marine goblins were hard at work wheeling a wagon towards the lake. Wooden boxes were stacked in the bed of the wagon along with canvas bags filled with some unknown contents.

Leilan and Verche simultaneously returned to Ray's position on the hill.

"Flying is still out of the question," Verche said. "Ray can't fly and the extra weight will put too much strain on our wings. It could even be damaging."

"I would also prefer not to backtrack," Leilan added.

"Why don't we just take them out?" Ray asked.

Leilan looked over her shoulder and watched the goblins as they began to unload the wagon and scavenged through the crates like a pack of vultures assaulting their prey. The wagon obviously wasn't theirs. Probably a wagon that was taken as a trophy after successfully ambushing a caravan. Marine goblins were not always hostile, and this edge of the lake was known for being relatively passive as long as outsiders did not intrude upon their territory. Leilan wondered what had prompted the goblins to venture out to the road so far from the lake.

"I'm curious to see what it is that these goblins managed to get a hold of," Verche said. "They either went out of their way to take this wagon, or those who commandeered it went terribly off course. I'm more inclined to lean towards the former."

Leilan nodded. "Agreed. It looks like their strength is concentrated more towards the wagon. The weaker unit is closest to us so we won't have to reposition ourselves. Even more are breaking off from this group and are entering the water. Let's give it another few minutes."

The trio waited patiently until another dozen or so of the blue goblins strayed away from their group as curiosity got the better of them. The unknown loot from the wagon drew them away and they watched with interest as their companions tore open the crates and ripped some of the gray bags that now appeared to be filled with an assortment of vegetables.

Leilan made a silent motion with her hand to Ray and Verche, signaling that the time for the attack was nearly at hand.

Just before Leilan could wave them forward, a terrifying roar erupted from somewhere in the woods to the west. The goblins dropped their spoils in surprise and hastily searched around for their weapons. Another roar, this time louder and even more terrifying, seemed to arrive from further south. Many of the goblins moved inland and stood at the ready, but they kept their feet in the shallow water. They moved together in tight groups of three. An eerie silence followed.

Ray's team on the hill sat unmoving and observed the enemy's movements. They were better coordinated than Ray had anticipated from such a weak race of creatures. The disquieting roar had rattled them, but they seemed to have collected themselves. Some of the groups in the water initiated their active skill to conjure a shield of water.

The silence was interrupted by another roar that boomed as if it was right on top of Ray. Just as he was about to look over his shoulder to see if the source was behind him, a white mass leaped out of the forest and pounced upon the nearest trio of goblins. Its claws dug deeply into the first goblin and its jaw latched onto the leg of a second adversary. With a quick whip of the head the goblin was flung to the side and collided with a few of its comrades. The slashed goblin went still as the stream of data particles from its body signaled its death. The last of the goblin trio backed up to rejoin the main force that skirted along the water.

The beast that had attacked the goblins was a tiger. Judging from the white fur and black stripes, Ray could guess that it was a white bengal tiger. An absolutely _massive_ white bengal tiger.

It calmly moved along with the goblin group on its heavy paws. One courageous goblin stepped forward and made a mocking gesture with its trident and the tiger's striped tail swung back and forth, eagerly anticipating the real attack that would hopefully soon follow. It revealed its sharp teeth in the form of a menacing grin.

The goblins decided against moving in on the tiger in favor of throwing some of their tridents at the beast. The tiger bent down slightly and the shield-like plate armor attached to the side of its legs deflected all of the thrown weapons easily. It continued with its long, even strides waiting for an opening in the enemy force's defenses.

A sharp hiss emitted somewhere from the forest near where the white tiger had emerged. A short streak of yellow light burst from the foliage and drove cleanly through the head of a goblin. It even traveled through and embedded itself into the shoulder of another goblin that stood behind. Two more sharp streaks drove through the chests of two others. The monsters were being picked off one by one as the tiger held them back towards the edge of the lake while the unknown assailant continued to fire mercilessly into the packed enemy. Many goblins were able to deflect the lines of light once they were able to pinpoint the source of the attack. They lacked competent leadership, and so they moved to gain better position in a clumsy manner. However, the lack of communication caused one group to move the opposite direction from the other. The tiger took advantage of this and moved in on the goblins to its right. The streaks of light now shot from another area of the forest and took down some of the distracted creatures.

Ray tore his eyes away from the battle to address Leilan and Verche, "Should we move in on this?"

Leilan eyed the tiger thoughtfully and was about to decide against supporting when she saw a rustling in the forest to the east. From the depths of the trees came a large group of massive humanoid creatures that towered well above any ordinary human. Their jaws consisted of sharpened teeth with two from the lower jaw overlapping the upper lip in a hideous snarl. One half of it was blue with what appeared to be an icicle shard protruding from its shoulder while the other half was a lime green.

They halted for a moment at the edge of the forest to allow another ogre to step forward. It was similar to the others with a barrel of a chest and stood slightly taller than the others. Its skin was pitch black with dark, spiked armor encompassing most of its frame. While the other ogres held clubs, this one wielded a flanged mace. The bottom portion of the mace's handle was spiked, and the edges dug into the ogre's hands with no concern from its wielder.

"Those are Wood Ice Ogres," Verche observed, calmly drawing his sword.

Leilan rose from the ground. "Looks like a Dark-Armored Ogre is leading them. I don't know who it is that is fighting the goblins, but we can find out afterward."

She rushed down the hill to intercept the ogres. Ray and Verche followed. They would have to hold off the ogres and keep them from joining the main force of goblins. If both of the enemy forces met, it would be even more difficult for the tiger to maneuver. It would be even worse for the ranged fighter. The ranged attacks were not all that powerful and would barely pierce the defenses of an ogre. If the ogres positioned themselves in front of the goblins, then there would never be a clear shot.

The ogres let out their battle cries and eagerly charged forward towards the new participants of the battle. Both sides were only a few yards from each other when a familiar streak of light whizzed past the first monster's shoulder and drove into the head of the ogre just behind it. The line of light dug a shallow gap and pierced deep enough to fracture part of the ogre's skull. It reeled around and wildly swung its club in a frenzy, nearly hitting its fellows. The disorientation of the ogre caused the others to break formation.

Ray and his team took advantage of this and all three of them lashed out at the nearest ogre and put it down before it even had a chance to retaliate. It collapsed backward as Leilan jumped forward. She landed on its chest as it fell and used it as a platform to leap forward and drove the blade of her halberd into the head of a second ogre. Its eyes rolled to the back of its head and it grasped frantically at its assailant. But Leilan had already started beating her wings and slid her grip down to the end of the pole of her weapon to stay out of reach.

Verche moved off to the right and sliced horizontally along the abdomen of another ogre. This one ignored the pain and swung its club in a savage, downward ark. Verche spun easily out of harm's way and punched the ogre in the laceration of its belly, inflicting even more pain. Verche would have finished it off if another ogre hadn't shown up just inside his peripherals. The knight stepped back and the club drove into the ground, splashing up dirt like an erupting volcano. Verche thrust forward with his sword and cut cleanly through the ogre's forearm rendering it useless.

Both of the god monsters suddenly felt a burst of energy as Ray completed a board of orbs.

It was the first time Verche had ever experienced the power that a Player could provide. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was different, almost overwhelming to someone who wasn't prepared for it. It was impressive.

More bursts of light continued to distract the ogres and provided openings for Ray and his team.

These ranged attacks ceased for a time and Ray began to wonder what was amiss. Perhaps more enemies were in the forest and had found their ally's position?

The thought was immediately discarded as an armored female leaped out of the forest and charged towards the combat. The familiar blasts of light flew past her with renewed force. She was upon the ogres before they even had a chance to notice her. She sliced at an ogre's jugular with her katana and a satisfying fountain of blood sprayed from the wound. The ogre clutched at its neck desperately, but it already began to fragment into data.

The dark-armored ogre then blocked her path while a second ogre flanked from behind.

A pained growl prompted the female to spare a glance behind her. Ray sliced along the leg of the ogre to her rear with his own katana. The ogre spat an angry roar and drove its club into the dirt next to Ray in an uncontrolled strike. Ray flicked the switch that would reveal his hidden blade and cut it deep into the ogre's wrist. Blood spurted as Ray pierced its ulnar artery and sliced all the way up the forearm. For good measure he retracted the blade and spun to stab his katana deep into the ogre's exposed stomach.

The other dark ogre watched as its comrade collapsed to its knees. It roared and swung its mace in a diagonal swipe intent on crushing the girl with one blow. The reckless attack was obvious and simple to dodge, but the second strike redirected course faster than anticipated as if undeterred by momentum. She back-stepped and the mace scraped along the chest plate of her armor. It also sliced through the strap that held the scabbard for her weapon. The scabbard fell to the ground and she readied it along with her katana in a dual-wielding stance.

Before the black ogre could strike again, it lurched forward as a blast of light collided with its back. The female warrior wasted no time and batted aside a clumsy, desperate strike from the ogre with her scabbard. She aimed her slice at the ogre's neck, but it tucked its chin at the last minute to protect itself from fatal injury. The katana cut along the ogre's jaw and rebounded off its shoulder plates. She recovered from the reverberations of her arm that resulted from the metal on metal contact. The ogre reached up with its opposite arm and the female whirled about. Her sword drove straight through the palm of its hand. The ogre didn't even have time to let out a pained grunt as another burst of light connected with the back of its head.

The female warrior leaped off the monster just as a mass of white drove the behemoth to the ground. The ogre fell face-first into the dirt and the tiger on its back went to work at the exposed flesh.

A small girl wielding a magnificent, gold trident sat upon the tiger's back and continued firing the lines of light from her weapon to disorient the remaining ogres for Ray and his monsters.

The unstitched cloth of the girl's outfit tore as the dark ogre underneath the weight of her tiger lashed out in a wild attack with its mace. This did not go unnoticed by the white tiger. Upon seeing the thin cut of its master's fair skin from the ogre's mace, the tiger went into a rage and struck out even more fiercely.

The female warrior with the katana and Ray Andylon worked side by side to hold back another ogre that attempted to remove the tiger from its comrade's back.

As the ogre fell over from a slice to the throat and abdomen the female turned to Ray and gave him a quick nod before moving off to take on another adversary.

Ray returned the motion and followed her. There was much more blood to be spilled.

* * *

With the fall of the first ogre, the marine goblins retreated into the forest and abandoned their precious cargo. The ferocity of the tiger and the fact that these enemies were able to so easily subdue an ogre was enough evidence to prove that they stood no chance of victory.

The ogres had a different mentality. Each ogre fought to the death. Not one retreated. But all fell and vanished in a cloud of data at the hands and paws of their foes.

Ray reunited with Leilan and Verche as the battle ended, their weapons still pulsing with the leftover energy from the matched orbs that Ray provided. Verche panted from the heaviness of the power that had streamed through his body.

"That was unlike anything I had anticipated," Verche finally said after a few heavy breaths.

Leilan smiled with satisfaction. "You get used to it real quick."

Ray approached them and stared at Verche questioningly, but Leilan waved to assure him that everything was fine.

Leilan gestured to the girl riding the tiger who was now rejoining her Player partner a short distance away. "Any idea who that monster is Verche?" she asked.

Verche shook his head and straightened himself. "No idea."

Ray, Verche, and Leilan waited until the two females and the tiger approached them. Both sides stared and analyzed the other. Their gazes weren't those of hostility, merely curiosity.

The red-haired female Player stepped forward and eyed Ray up and down. He waited for her to break the silence.

"Not bad," she said in a neutral tone.

Ray expected her to say more, but she simply stared at Ray expectantly.

"Not so bad yourself," Ray finally said, finding his voice.

The girl on the tiger leaped gracefully down from the beast's back and slid her trident into a holster attached to its side. She held her hands up innocently in a sign of friendship. The assortment of jewelry on her person rattled with every movement as she approached. A hint of embarrassment was clear on her face as she held her torn silk dress up to keep it from falling too far down. She bowed and her light blue hair nearly brushed the ground.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," the girl said politely in a cute voice. "My name is Parvati. And this is my friend Yukiko."

The red-haired girl nodded upon hearing her name.

Parvati then extended her hand to the tiger, head still down. "And this is my beloved friend Somanandi."

The tiger growled a greeting as it latched its paws into the dirt and arched its back in a stretch. It kicked the body of a dead ogre that was still disappearing with an irritated snarl.

Leilan and Verche stepped forward on either side of Ray.

"This is Leilan and Verche," Ray said.

"A pleasure to meet you," Verche and Leilan said in unison.

The female Player, Yukiko, raised an eyebrow as the monsters introduced themselves; however, she did not bother to speak aloud her surprise at seeing a Player already partnered with two monsters.

"You all were of great help," Parvati continued when she saw that no one else made any indication of speaking. "That dark ogre had a sizeable bounty on its head and has been harassing the humans passing through here as of late. Now the roads will be much safer."

"Bounty?" Ray asked.

"That's right," Yukiko said with the same passive expression. "And now we must head back to the city to collect the reward."

Without another word, she turned on her heels and began to head back to the forest. Parvati remained behind and scratched behind her head awkwardly. The tiger let out a derisive snort and turned its head in the other direction as the stern female passed him.

Parvati laughed nervously. "I'm sorry. Yukiko isn't one for conversation. She's really a good person though."

The tiger huffed behind her and rested its head on the ground.

"Could've fooled me," Leilan commented. "Your tiger friend doesn't seem to like her either."

The tiger let out a low rumble to confirm this and went about licking the blood off one of its paws.

Ray tore his eyes away from the other Player to address Parvati. "She said the city. Did she mean Sarkast?"

"Yes, that is correct," Parvati answered.

Parvati and Yukiko didn't seem like bad sorts.

"Well, I was thinking. Why don't we, y'know, travel there together? Since we're heading the same way and all."

Ray had to admit to himself that he was glad to see another Player.

Parvati's face beamed at this suggestion and she clasped her hands together excitedly. "Oh that would be wonderful! We would love some company!"

The tiger interrupted licking its paws and let out a loud snort. It seemed to think that one person would be adverse to the idea.

"Oh hush," Parvati scolded it.

The tiger seemed to roll its eyes and rose on all fours. It was ready to hit the road.

"We would love your company," Parvati said. "Shall we go?"

"Sounds good."

Ray and his team joined Parvati and made their way to the edge of the woods. Leilan felt a twinge in her senses that she couldn't ignore and gazed around to find what had caused the disturbance. She gazed around the lake and the opposite forest but could not pick out any movement. She shrugged and followed the others. It might have just been her imagination. But even if it wasn't, there didn't seem much cause for concern. Not yet at least.

* * *

A dark mystic knight scout crouched down and hid behind a row of bushes as the female monster with the halberd turned her head in its direction. After a brief moment, the female, with a bit of hesitation, returned to her comrades. The mystic knight breathed a sigh of relief.

It recognized the female. She was the one from Caramoc Cove who had fought against Satan. She had also embarrassed the mystic knights with the active skill she used to freeze them in place during the fight. But now she was without most of her active skills. There might be an opportunity for revenge.

The main force of knights was on the move to the opposite side of the lake. There was no way to catch up to the group of god monsters. Three god monsters and two Players might be too much to handle even in their weakened state anyway.

The mystic knights had other methods.

Patience.

The knight abandoned its cover as the enemy disappeared into the trees.


	11. Chapter 10- Revelations

**A/N: Well, here we go. Another chapter. Slight delays due to school starting up, but hey, kind of an erratic schedule anyway.**

**On a side note! Don't forget that you can visit the Puzzle and Dragons database and type monster names in the search engine to view their appearances if you so wish. I also appreciate any comments, critiques, suggestions, reviews, all that good stuff. Check my profile for any updates concerning the story.**

* * *

"_It's not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well." -Rene Descartes_

**Chapter 10- Revelations**

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Sarkast**

**In-Game Timer: Day 7**

**3:30 PM**

Ray and his companions decided to hug the road the rest of the way to Sarkast. This particular area of the forest was muddied and difficult to wade through from the storm that heavily saturated the ground the day before. In some areas the mud even managed to rise to the top of his boots.

They traveled in silence for the most part. The only one who seemed to be interested in small talk was Parvati. Ray had made numerous attempts to converse with his fellow Player, but most of his questions were returned with a shrug, a barely discernible nod, or nothing at all. He eventually gave up and joined the conversations between the monsters.

Leilan and Verche chose their words carefully as they spoke to Parvati. Ray came to the conclusion that they weren't wary of her, but they didn't necessarily trust her either. This mistrust amongst fellow monsters was confusing for him. But he hoped to have all of his questions answered soon.

When the city came into view it was something that Ray didn't expect. The outskirts of the city consisted of modest dwellings in a tightly knit suburban area with a tall outer wall built of limestone. Soldiers patrolled along the wall and disappeared behind massive parapets littered along the edges. Archery towers lined the top of the wall and also from behind in a staggered formation to provide clear lines of fire. Beyond the suburban outer district was a second wall even more massive than the first with unbroken crenellations lining the top. Instead of towers, thin openings were cut into the wall for ranged defenders, which indicated that the wall's thickness was enough to hold a multitude of narrow passages for quick travel between various points within the walls.

Siege weapons also lined the walls from sections that protruded outward to provide ramps and platforms to change angles and direction of fire. The platforms alternated between catapults and cannons, with the cannons pointed at a downwards angle on ramps. The wall was like staring into the mouth of a dangerous, grinning behemoth.

What fascinated Ray the most were the three tall towers that reached for the sky at the center of the city within the inner district. They were built in a staggered formation with the lead tower as the shortest and the furthest tower the tallest. The closest tower was no less impressive than the others with the intricate designs of the wide balconies and the plexi-glass windows depicting soldiers in battle.

Ray could even see some other buildings towering over the inner wall of the city.

He reverted his attention upon hearing the voice of his fellow Player.

"Well, here we are," Yukiko said in her neutral tone. The only words she had spoken the entire trip. "Welcome to the military city of Sarkast."

They made their way down the crested hill to the farmlands that surrounded the city. Families were hard at work in the fields tilling the ground for wheat and nurturing corn. Grain mills dotted the open fields along with other squat structures. Soldiers wandered around the buildings in discussion and some moved off to the edge of the fields to stand guard. Ray guessed that the extra manpower ensured that the farmers wouldn't be attacked by the monsters that lurked in the forest less than a klick away.

A group of laughing children ran past them across the dirt road seemingly unaware of the monsters that trailed behind the two human Players. The older folk working in the fields took the time to stare at the new arrivals, but their unmoving expressions did not betray their emotions. They were a seasoned and hard-working people.

The fields waned in number as the group came closer to the city's outer wall. Fields were replaced with more of the squat structures with soldiers milling about on duty.

_Man, she wasn't kidding when she said it was a military city,_ Ray thought with wonder.

Ray checked his database and opened the map to see how close his home was. He zoomed in on the city and traced along multiple symbols until he found his own. He was in luck. They were at the eastern gate. His house was only a short ways to the north once they entered the outer suburban district.

They arrived at the crowded outer gate and received curious stares from the guards as they passed. The arrival of the Players was not unknown, but seeing three monsters together with a pair of humans wasn't an ordinary occurrence. However, they did not make any obvious or subtle movements for their weapons. They may not have been openly welcome, but the relations between monsters and humans seemed better than the hostility that Leilan mentioned with the people of Millshore.

The armor the guards wore made them look bigger than they actually were. The gray rounded pauldrons on their shoulders stuck out to a sharp point, giving them a dangerous, intimidating look. The wrist guards overlapped chainmail with a barely discernible slot underneath, much like Ray's hidden weapon. It seemed every bit of the armor was modified in every conceivable way for some sort of offensive combat.

One of the guards held up a hand to stop the five companions. He eyed them up and down briefly before speaking.

"Interesting. Two humans and three monsters. This is a first. What's your business in Sarkast?"

Yukiko reached into a leather pocket stitched underneath her armor and fished out a folded parchment. She unfolded it and held it out so that the guard could look over the information for the bounty. The guard let out a low whistle as he read it over.

"Well damn. You got that sonuvabitch. Saw this in The Dirty Prancer I think." He looked past Yukiko and observed Ray and his two monster partners. "And who might you be kid? What's your business?"

"Oh, my house is here," Ray answered. "We've arrived from Millshore."

The guard's eyes went back and forth between the two monsters as if he was pondering something.

"You have two monsters with you," he said simply.

Ray nodded. "Yes that's right."

The guard glanced over his shoulder to read the expressions on the faces of the other men. One of them simply shrugged a confirmation. The others near the guard station had returned to whatever game it was they were playing. Some mix between Go and Mahjong. They didn't seem concerned.

"Alright then. Just don't cause any trouble alright?"

The guards stood aside and let the monsters and Players pass into the suburban district of Sarkast.

* * *

They entered a small market area as they left the easternmost district of the suburbs. The buildings in this section were plain with a solid beige color comparable to their neighbors. No building had any uniqueness except for the fact that the buildings grew slightly taller than the one before it as they became closer to the massive inner wall that guarded the city itself.

The market opened up and revealed a number of two-story houses of light brick, comfortably apart with a few acres of land for each. As they winded their way through the smooth, cemented streets, they came upon a house with a solid mahogany door. A symbol was etched in its center. It was comprised of an image of a dark orb with the familiar crescent moon at its center. A flame surrounded the dark orb with two katanas crossed behind it.

Ray approached the door and ran his hand over the symbol with fascination.

There was something about the symbol that gave Ray pause. Hanging off the pommels of the two katanas was a charm linked by chains. Attached to the chains was some sort of amulet with the image of a skull etched into it. Ray didn't know why, but a dark, foreboding feeling crept down his spine as he looked at the grinning ornaments.

First being a dark attribute, and now the skulls. Something didn't feel right.

Ray didn't notice Yukiko eying the symbol on the door coolly.

Her voice interrupted his thoughts, "I believe this is where we should part ways."

Ray turned to her as she ascended the stairs to meet him at eye level. She was uncomfortably close in Ray's opinion and he took a nervous step back. She tapped the database on her wrist and the holographic screen popped up. After scrolling through a few menus, she opened up a blank screen.

"What's your Player ID?" she asked.

Ray stared at her stupidly for a few seconds before he managed to get a grasp on what she was asking.

"Ah, you, want to add me to your _friends list_?"

Yukiko nodded. "You're decent with a sword. And you must be pretty tough to have a second monster on your team already. I believe staying in contact would be beneficial for us both. Don't you agree?"

She spoke in such a mechanical tone. It was hard to read her emotions. But Ray had already figured out her true intentions before her explanation. It would be a relationship that was purely based on business and convenience. It should have been painfully obvious judging from her unwillingness to converse on their journey together. Even so, he was glad to have someone he could rely on later.

Ray searched for his Player ID number and recited it to her as she input it into the list. After a moment, Ray's database sent him an alert and asked him if he wanted to accept the friend request. He did so and Yukiko's Player profile was open to him. He noticed that a few areas of her profile were locked and strictly private.

Yukiko gave him a quick smirk, the closest thing that Ray could assume was a smile.

"Well, I'll be in touch." She alighted down the stairs and went to rejoin Parvati who waved an enthusiastic farewell to Ray and his monster comrades.

Ray didn't enter the house until they had disappeared around the corner and with the silent urgings of Leilan and Verche.

There was much they had to discuss.

* * *

The interior of the house was humble compared to the finely fitted stone of its walls on the outside.

The rooms were sparsely furnished, but there were enough comfortable chairs to seat a small group of individuals. Ray assumed that the developers of the game didn't want to just simply hand him everything on a silver platter.

The first floor consisted of a living room with couches of a darkened gray hue and a short love seat situated in a corner for the master of the house to sit in. It had a perfect view of the other party in the room as well as sight of the front door. An intricately designed rug covered the center of the floor with sewn patterns portraying the many elements attributed to the monsters and Players of the world. The room could easily fit six human-sized individuals. A glass lamp sat on a side table next to the love seat. Ray stared underneath and saw that there was something akin to a light bulb attached to its top. He wondered how electricity actually worked in this world. But that was something to inquire about another day. There were more pressing questions weighing on his mind.

He decided to hold off on touring the rest of the house in favor of getting straight to business.

Leilan and Verche entered the room and took a seat at one of the couches across from him. Verche leaned against the arm of the chair while Leilan sat with her hands clasped. They waited patiently for Ray to find the right words to start.

"Okay," Ray started. "The people of my world won't hear a word we say here."

He turned to them and fell back in the love seat. It wasn't until he settled back that he realized just how exhausted he really was. The journey from Millshore, the battle at Mercury Lake, and then the immediate trek to the city through the muddied forest and uneven terrain would've worn any normal person out. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he failed to notice his weariness until he reached a state of comfort.

Leilan and Verche waited for him to continue.

Ray addressed Leilan first, "In the dungeon. The way you reacted to seeing Verche. I started to think something wasn't right. Then your reaction when you thought he had died, that confirmed my suspicions."

Leilan made no comment on this observation. Ray continued.

"I guess you could say I thought everything was way too real right from the start."

Ray recalled his fight alongside the tamadra in the Departure Tower. The tamadra had responded to all of his speech and actions just like any other living, breathing individual would in his world. It had even read his emotions without him even having to utter a word. The tamadra had flown over to him and given him a reassuring pat on the head during his moments of distress.

Then he recalled the dirt in his hands as he continued his journey. The gritty, yet soft feeling as it poured from his grasp. He now stared down at his hand and noticed the light brown smudges of soil and the roughness of his skin from the handle of his weapon.

"This world...it's far too real."

He looked up to see that Leilan and Verche were now glancing uncertainly at each other.

"You acted like you knew him. More than knew him. He's more like a comrade. A friend. What the hell is really going on in this world?"

Verche moved to speak, but Leilan held up a hand and shook her head somberly. Verche nodded his consent and eased back against the arm of the chair and allowed her to take the floor.

Leilan took a deep breath. She let it out slowly before she spoke, "Very well Ray. But please keep an open mind. You Players see our world as just a game right?"

Ray nodded. "That's what it was supposed to be. I'm sure many still see it this way. But after everything so far, I'm not so sure anymore."

Leilan stared at him for a long time as she pondered his words. Even without any explanation, Ray was still a believer. He was already nearly convinced that the world he had entered was living and breathing. She couldn't help the pleasant warmth she felt at Ray's conviction. She was starting to believe she had made a wise choice.

Leilan began her story.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Sanctuary**

**In-Game Timer: Approximately 3 years earlier**

**1:42 AM**

Leilan stared down into the darkness below as the ocean churned against the wall of smooth stone that was the most western edge of the Sacred Mt. Bakkes. There were signs of thin cracks along the wall indicating that the cannons from the pirate ships earlier in the day had done some minor damage.

The first thing that had occurred to Leilana and her monster comrades was that the enemy monsters of the Legion had decided to test the defenses of Sanctuary with an assault from the sea. This was disconcerting since they had thought the enemy had no knowledge of how far Sanctuary extended from inland.

To their relief, it turned out that the pirates were chasing a merchant ship and the lower walls of the mountains just happened to be in the line of fire. Leilan regretted not being able to help the innocent merchant ship, but compromising the location of Sanctuary on the coast was far too risky if there were any unwanted observers close by.

The recent battles against the Legion had turned in their favor. The Guardian monsters now felt that the eastern half of the continent was secure. Most of the major towns and cities had recovered from earlier attacks, with Sarkast displaying its generous might. The humans in that area had proven their resourcefulness and skill in combat. With the trails and passes of the Bakke mountains now secure, Leilan felt that they could really take the fight to the Legion on their own turf.

But Leilan couldn't sleep.

There was something that continued to wear at Leilan's mind, driving like a dull icepick.

Over the past few months the Guardian monsters had been meeting with a human that was not of their world. He arrived out of nowhere outside of Sanctuary with his arms raised and a silly grin splayed over his face. The monsters on guard had been completely taken aback by his sudden appearance. A mere human had located Sanctuary. Not only that, but they couldn't even detect his presence.

The man had explained that he was the Creator, the one who had formed the world of Puzzle and Dragons. He said there were others also like him, but he had the power to create the world itself.

He introduced himself as Shinji Takamura.

During those months he proved to be a competent ally in the war against the Legion by providing valuable information concerning their movements and knowledge of the land itself. Leilan and the others were finally convinced he was the Creator he claimed to be when he explained the birth of the world and its development. He also had knowledge beyond any human she had ever met. He told stories of technological advances in his world. They had gadgets like cellphones, computers, vehicles that ran on fuel, flying machines called planes. One of Leilan's comrades, Cao Cao, had inquired about the military presence and weapons of his world. The humans of the other world had heavily armored vehicles known as tanks and ranged weapons called guns. He said that some of these guns could fire a small projectile hundreds of yards in the span of a mere second.

Then he showed them the proof with the database that was attached to his wrist. It contained all of the information they could possibly want to know. He said all he would have to do was download it in his world from a computer. There was also a place used by computers to find information somewhere called the internet. He explained it was a space that held an infinite amount of knowledge on anything one could possibly desire.

This relationship had continued for nearly a year. Time passed. Takamura observed the monsters, learned from them, and befriended them.

But Takamura had now been absent for over four months. Leilan couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. The problems of a human from another world should not have concerned someone in her own delicate position. But she had become fond of the human. He was a pleasant individual to converse with. He certainly was no warrior, but he made up for it with his wit and knowledge.

As Leilan was about to shift her thoughts to more current issues, she detected a sign of movement from further along the path to her side that winded down towards the ocean. She readied her halberd that had previously rested at her side and took cover behind an outcropping of rock. Judging from the soft padding of footfalls, she ascertained that there couldn't have been more than one individual. Maybe a few more if they had their motions in sync. They were also of an average size.

A human with matted brown hair and round spectacles appeared from around the bend of the stone stairs just below her position. She relaxed her weapon upon seeing the familiar human but then readied herself once again as she saw him limp up the next flight of stairs. A growing mass of red clung to the cloth underneath an exposed portion of his chainmail. He fell to one knee and clutched his side in pain as the sudden motion forced more blood from the wound. It was like squeezing ketchup out of a plastic bottle as he unwillingly hunched over. Leilan could see that the wound was serious.

She rushed down the stairs and lifted one of his arms over her shoulder to support him.

"Hang on Takamura," she whispered reassuringly.

Takamura nodded weakly and allowed her to guide him the rest of the way up the stairs. They passed through the stone archway that led into the central area of Sanctuary.

The fluorescence of the magically-infused stone buildings guided them through another archway, this one made of the rainbow magic stones that had once pulsed with magical energy, but which now served as a catalyst for magical transfer for the buildings since their own power had gone dormant.

Leilan entered the open space where the god monsters met for discussion and debate. Only one other monster sat in the council room, and he immediately discarded whatever documents he was working on to assist Leilan in resting Takmura flat on the long table.

"Thank you Odin," Leilan said appreciatively.

Odin removed the green hat from his head as examined Takamura's wound. "What happened?"

Leilan shook her head. "I don't know. He was like this when I found him at the southern stairs."

Suddenly, Takamura made a struggled gasp for air and grabbed Leilan's arm in a firm grip that was not suited to a man in his condition. There was now the faint trace of blood crawling down his chin and neck. His eyes were wild with fear and desperation.

"Where is Metatron?" he gasped.

Leilan didn't even need to ask before Odin was already on the move out of the council room to retrieve Metatron. She turned back to Takamura whose breathing was steady but still drawn out and rasped like a tipped over vacuum. Leilan noticed his pale complexion that verified how much blood he had lost.

After minutes that seemed to drag on for hours, Odin reappeared with Metatron at his side. Pandora had also decided to tag along when she heard the news of Takamura's arrival.

Odin ripped the reddened cloth from Takamura's side to reveal the gaping wound that had finally stopped spurting the injured human's life blood. The skin around the severed area beat a nasty purple.

Metatron whispered something inaudible under her breath and placed her hands over the wound. There was an immediate change as the pulsing purple around the wound began to lighten until it became more of a lukewarm violet. Some of the skin began to stitch itself to halt the seeping blood.

After about a minute, Metatron removed her hands to observe her work and nodded with some satisfaction. "I can't completely dispel the pain," she said. "But at least the bleeding has stopped. You should be fine with some rest to let your body heal itself."

Takamura shook his head as he rose to a seated position. He grimaced as the pain spiked from the movement, but he spoke through it nonetheless.

"No, there's no time. You need to listen to me." He lifted his arm and activated the database on his wrist. The holographic screen appeared and he pressed a symbol with a purpose that was foreign to the monsters. One of the three slots on the underside of the database slid open and a small circular, metallic chip popped out. He held it out to Metatron.

Metatron stared at the chip unmoving. "What is this?" she asked.

"It is-the world," Takamura forced the words out through the still-lingering pain.

"What are you talking about?"

Takamura stared at each of the monsters in turn. The desperation grew in his voice to something all too palpable that instilled a quiet fear in the monsters like a creeping virus.

He took a few more deep breaths before he gave his explanation. "There is much-you need to know." He urged her to take the chip, which she did with a bit of hesitation.

"That chip," he started. "That chip holds the beginning of a world. I discovered it after many years of research in my own world."

The words seemed to catch in Metatron's throat at the realization that she was practically holding a universe in the palm of her hand.

"So, this chip contains how our world started?" Odin asked.

Takmura nodded. "Exactly. With my own knowledge and a bit of tampering I was able to shape it. Soon this world could maintain itself and began its own steps towards expanding and evolution."

"Why would you give us such a thing?" Metatron inquired as she composed herself.

Takamura heaved a heavy sigh. His breathing stuttered and shivered with apprehension. "People in my world. Humans. They know what it is. I was going to use this universal code to create a game. It would be a game where people could have fun. Almost like a second life with no risk. But I..." He trailed off as he stared at the ground.

Leilan rested a comforting hand on his shoulder. He did not look up but continued his explanation, "I never expected this code to create a living and breathing world with real beings. There are people in my world who want it. And they will try to take it from me by any means necessary. Some of my closest friends are already dead because of me." He rested his head in his hands as the tears he was holding back all this time began to flow freely. "I didn't mean for any of this! I just wanted-"

He stopped himself as the database on his wrist began to let out a series of low beeps. He stared down at it and a tiny light flashed yellow on the screen. He removed his glasses so he could wipe his eyes before continuing.

"I've already wasted enough time," he said. The other two slots underneath the database opened at his bidding and a pair of similar metallic chips appeared. "Hand me your book Metatron."

Metatron hesitated a moment before handing her most prized possession to him. He set one of the chips on a page towards the back of the book. With a bit of pressure from his hand, the chip began to infuse itself into the book. Metatron stared in wonder as the outline of the chip and many of her pages began to glow with a soft yellow light. Once the chip was set firmly in place Takamura closed the book.

"What did you do?" Metatron questioned without taking her eyes from the tome.

"There are people from my world who will be arriving. They are not people who helped me to create this world or anyone who will monitor it. They are called Players. Their sole purpose is to enter this world and test how it functions. The Players will think this is just a game for their own enjoyment. Some of them might not be so ignorant though. The ones who are after the code might send Players. I cannot know for sure though," Takamura explained as best he could.

Leilan glanced around at her other comrades who were taking in all of this information. Their faces were as still as stone. The ability to create worlds was in one of their hands in some tiny device. It was absolutely insane, but why would he lie about something like this? What was the point?

"Why us?" Leilan prompted him. She couldn't contain herself. Everything was happening so fast and so suddenly.

Takamura glanced at his database again before speaking. The blinking light was now orange. "I don't know who I can trust in the real world to protect something like this," he answered. His voice was now steeled with ice. "I am sorry that I placed this burden on you, but I don't see any other options right now. I wanted to destroy it, but I don't know the repercussions. They could be detrimental to both our worlds."

"We can seal it in my box," Pandora offered. "That's the safest place I can think of."

This statement took Metatron off guard. "Pandora! That box is everything to you! If you were to seal it now you might as well have no power at all."

Pandora nodded. "I am aware."

Takamura nodded to her appreciatively and gestured to Metatron's book. "Read what I have left you in the book. Choose your Player partners wisely."

"Partners?" they all cried in unison.

The flashing light on Takamura's database now flashed red and a low hum began to emit from the device. He closed his eyes and handed the last chip to Leilan. She stared at it emotionless despite the sadness welling up inside her. They all knew they were about to lose a close and dear friend.

"Keep that one safe," Takamura said.

The blinking light and sound from the database began to hum faster. He pressed a button and a final selection appeared that would log him out of the virtual world to rejoin his own. He couldn't stop the stream of tears.

"One more thing," he choked. "Do not let your fabricated pasts dictate your actions. I have already told you how to discern the truth from the lies. Don't let a false history drown the past you have made for yourself." He pressed the button and his image began to fade. "Live well my friends."

When his form vanished, the shaken god monsters glanced at each other at a loss. Much of their past was a lie. He had told them that once. Fake lives meant to drive them on a specific course against their will. The world they fought for so earnestly was originally meant to be used for mere entertainment. And now the fate of both worlds rested in their hands. Literally.

Metatron clenched the chip in her hand and waited for the others to speak what was already running through her mind.

Odin sat at the edge of the stone table and shifted his hat lower over his eyes. "If you have the ability to create worlds, well, I guess you have the power to destroy them too. Right?"

They all hoped whoever was now after the code didn't have such an extreme and dastardly intent.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Rhea-Themis Temple**

**In-Game Timer: Approximately 1 year earlier**

**7:26 PM**

Leilan flew to the top of the stairs that led to the entrance of Rhea-Themis temple. The temple made of smoothed, reinforced sandstone still stood strong despite the relentless assault of the sandstorms that blasted through the desert during most of daylight and evening. The entrance stood a good ten meters in height. Leilan noted that the short walls of stone would provide the light mystic knights rushing up the stairs some much-needed cover.

The entrance was sealed by a massive stone door with the symbol of a light orb etched into its thick mass. The metal of the sun symbol at its center seemed to shift back and forth with the reflections of the setting sun.

Behind Leilan, two more monsters ascended the stairs and took positions on either side of her with weapons at the ready.

The first monster, a female wielding a magnificent spear that pulsed a sapphire aura of magical energy, examined the edge of the oasis they had just exited for any sign of the enemy forces that pursued them. Her bulky silver armor covered a creamy white, silken battle gown underneath, which was now drenched with sweat from the retreat. A portion of her helmet was caved in from a recent blow dealt by an ogre's mace. She removed it with irritation to let her emerald-green hair fall its full length to her waste. She planted a sandled foot on the wall and rested her round shield against it as she observed the edge of the trees. Her mouth was stretched in a thin line as she gazed on emotionless.

The second monster approached the side of the blocked entryway and ran his hand along the stone in search of a hidden mechanism. His striped, dark purple and light violet armor contained multiple melee weapons that stuck out from their attached sheaths. He planted the flaming broadsword in his hand into the dirt so he could run his crystalline scepter over the stone he was examining. Leilan couldn't see his brow wrinkle in frustration due to the helmet that encompassed his head, hiding his features from view.

Then the male monster's strands of thin fabric attached to his armor began to blow from some unseen wind that emit from the entrance.

"I have found it," he said, his voice slightly muffled by the helmet.

He pressed the crystal at the end of the scepter against a specific portion of the wall and the ground began to rumble beneath them. The wind picked up in strength as the stone gateway began to open before them. It opened far too slow for their liking.

Leilan approached the other female monster and stared with her into the forest. It was far too quiet for the aftermath of a violent skirmish. The rest of the light mystic knights that remained took up positions behind the walls waiting for the inevitable attack.

"What do you see Athena?" Leilan asked after a moment of silence.

Athena pointed to the edge of the oasis further to the south. "They are bypassing the traps we set."

The armored male monster behind them at the entrance spoke up upon hearing this bit of bad news, "It would seem they really do have some all-knowing entity on their side. Hopefully the sealed passage down below still has its exit hidden for us to make our escape."

Before anyone else had a chance to speak, the southern edge of the shrouded oasis seemed to explode with activity. A figure sitting upon a strange mount burst from the trees and spun in circles through the sand. The rider hooted and hollered as he kicked the sand into the air. After a few more donuts through the sand the rider turned in the direction of the temple and sped onward at breakneck speed with a plume of purple smoke drifting behind him. Following were armored dark knights of all classes that plodded forward through the shifting sand.

Leilan and Athena could now see that the steed this monster was riding was unlike any creature they had ever seen. It was comprised of metal parts with two big, glowing red eyes staring lifelessly at them from the front. A pair of curved handles were used to steer the metal beast and two wheels spun at seemingly impossible speeds to drive it forward. The rider made a sharp turn that kicked up more sand into the air and he got off at the foot of the temple stairs.

He threw off his purple leather coat lined with soft animal fur and whirled it above his head as he laughed insanely at the two female monsters who stared at him expressionless. He gave them a wide obnoxious grin and flipped down the visor on his helmet so he could better see against the sun's rays. Behind him the dark knights were still on their way. He waved at them dismissively while still maintaining his reprehensible grin.

The monster spread his arms enthusiastically as if he were greeting some old friends. "Well if it isn't Athena and Leilan! How wonderful it is-" He stopped himself as he stood on his tiptoes to see who was behind them. "Well damn! Is that Ra too? I thought we tore your ass up at Hera's place!"

"Who is it?" Ra asked keeping his eyes intent on working the gate open.

"Beelzebub," Athena answered flatly.

Ra grunted, "Ah, that asshole."

The dark knights had now caught up with the insane monster and stood awaiting his commands.

"I'd love to catch up ladies, but we are reeeaallly in a huge rush. We can do this two ways," he paused for a moment as he considered the options he would give them. "Y'know what. Screw it. No options. We just kill yah!"

The dark knights took this as their cue and began rushing up the stone steps. They wordlessly formed an organized line that spanned the entire length of the steps with their shields raised to block the ranged attacks from above.

The light mystic knights flung their spears down at the mass of black that crept up the steps behind the relentless defenses. None of the projectiles could pierce the shields or break through any holes. The shields were forged to interconnect with the ones beside them. The only opening was a limited gap at the feet. With the incline of the steps there was just simply no angle. The dark knights to the rear flung their own spears and fired crossbows to limit the attacks of the light knights above. The fight would be taken to even ground in a matter of seconds.

"Chelone!" Athena barked.

The light knights obeyed her commands and squatted at the top of the stairs with their tall shields propped into the crevices of the stone. A second line formed behind the first as support. This second row of knights lifted their shields above their heads to cover themselves and their comrades in the front. A similar process was repeated a few more lines back. A select group of the golden knights hugged the lines and took positions behind the walls with a partner hefting a shield to defend the ranged attackers.

"Steady!" Athena shouted.

The light knights braced themselves behind their shields. The soldiers in dark armor were nearly upon them. They trusted Athena to be their eyes.

Just as the dark knights reached them Athena commanded, "Brace!"

The timing of the command was perfect. Just as the dark knights began to unleash their attack, the gold armored warriors locked their arms in a firm stance to absorb the force of the blows from the enemy's heavy shields and weapons. Leilan took up a defensive stance in front of Athena as she eyed the strikes of the enemy forces. Athena then saw a break in the momentum.

"Push!"

The first row of light knights jerked their shields forward and dug their heels into the ground for a balance of foundation and forward force. They had plenty of ground behind them along with the support of their comrades to the rear for maintaining position. The enemy dark knights had no room to retain a proper stance to withstand the force of the shields due to the short width of the stairs. The shields forced them back and many tumbled into their comrades or fell off the edge. All it took was one push to completely rattle the enemy's offensive. The top of the stairs were completely sealed by the shields with no way around with the walls blocking passage to either side. The dark knights closer to the rear flung their spears and fired arrows in random arcs to see if any might penetrate the defensive formation. All of the projectiles glanced harmlessly off the shields protecting the front and top of the soldiers. The formation was seemingly perfect. It took advantage of the high ground, the narrow area of passage, and the lack of footing on the enemy's part.

Leilan deflected any ranged attacks that came anywhere near the squatting Athena who eyed the formation of her soldiers with undeterred focus.

"Absolutely brilliant," Leilan said as the soldiers continued to shove the enemy back down the stairs.

"Beelzebub should have led the attack," Athena said. "He is an impulsive fool. His own forces are now blocking his advance."

To confirm this they could hear Beelzebub shouting a stream of curses from below as attempted to push through his own soldiers that blocked his way.

A movement to the north caught Athena's eye as she spoke and she narrowed her eyes curiously at the other edge of the oasis. A humanoid figure had broken through the canopy of trees and began to beat his wings furiously in their direction. There were six black wings on the monster's back instead of two. His blood-red armor seemed to dominate the horizon with his contrasting long, white hair. He drew a massive sword from his back as he approached.

Another monster appeared from further north, but Athena recognized the flaming chariot immediately.

Leilan deflected another spear before noticing Athena's grim expression. She followed her eyes to the north and let out a curse as she recognized the two monsters.

"How much longer?" Leilan shouted.

A loud clang sounded from behind her like a hammer striking an anvil.

"Well, no more than a minute," Ra answered. "Why?"

"Lucifer and Belial are on their way," Athena answered.

"Swell."

The stone rumbled under their feet as the stone doorway continued to slide up from the ground with a groan of resistance as the rock grinded against each other. Ra nodded with satisfaction and moved to join Leilan and Athena. He froze as he caught the image of a stream of darkness heading towards them at an incredible speed. Athena called out orders for her knights to prepare themselves for the coming offensive.

Leilan recognized Lucifer's active skill attack immediately. "Damn. He prepared his _Evil Nova._"

They had all seen how absurdly powerful Lucifer's primary active skill was. A streak of darkness that expanded with the more distance it covered and was primarily for assassinating light attribute enemies, rendering them helpless with a single blow. Even the percentage of its attack power increased over the distance. An attack such as this would be devastating for both Athena and Ra. And on a narrow, open landing with the entrance still blocked there was nowhere to take cover.

Ra stepped in front of the two female monsters and tapped his scepter against his heels like a baseball player getting ready to bat. He took a side stance with his scepter leading and sword pointed towards the streak of expanding darkness in his rear hand.

"He isn't the only one who saved an active skill," he said reassuringly.

"Ra. Your _Solar Lazer_ is barely even five percent of his active skill in its original state," Leilan said. "Covering that amount of distance and growing in strength, you won't even slow it down."

Ra addressed her with feigned hurt in his voice, "Your faith in me is duly noted. You haven't seen my active skill with all its restraints removed."

_Restraints? _

Ra focused on the crystal of his scepter and a blinding flash emitted to consume the platform they all stood on. The dark mystic knights on the stairs didn't shield their eyes in time and reeled back to collapse into their comrades who fell into the ones behind them. The mystic light knights who still maintained their defensive formation were thankful for the reprieve.

"Release restraint on _Solar Lazer_," Ra stated. An unseen locking mechanism inside his scepter released with a metallic click. The sharp black metal fastened to the crystal shifted outwards. "Release restraint on _Solar Canon_." Another click of metal released. The dark nova from Lucifer was nearly upon them. "Release restraint on _Solar Explosion_." A final click. Ra braced himself, straightened the rear arm holding his sword, and relaxed his leading arm to accept the kick from the outward force that would soon arrive from the trembling scepter.

"Initiate active skill _Solar Incineration!"_

The massive streak of light that emitted from Ra's scepter sucked the air around it inwards and tore the stone from the platform. The searing light reached the approaching darkness in a matter of seconds and pierced straight through it with no signs of resistance. The darkness shattered into strips like flimsy paper and dissipated as crackling fractions of light sought them out from the main body and quelled them mercilessly. The sky cleared once again as if the darkness had never existed at all.

Ra took an uneasy step back with his weakened legs and collapsed on his rear with a heavy thud. Athena and Leilan rushed over to him and each grabbed him under one arm so they could drag his bulky, armored form towards the now-gaping entrance to the temple. The light mystic knights broke their lines one by one in a strategic retreat and positioned themselves outside the entrance that began to seal as the god monsters crossed the threshold. The dark knights were still disoriented from the blast of light.

They could hear Beelzebub's crazed shouts of fury from below as he continued throwing aside any of his own soldiers that got in his way.

He reached the top just in time to see Ra being dragged into the temple with the light knights breaking formation as the stone slab nearly sealed itself in place.

Ra made an obscene gesture with the finger on one of his hands that threw Beelzebub into an even more uncontrollable rage.

The stone slab sealed the entrance and the monsters were plunged into a stifling darkness.

Ra mustered enough bits of power left-over to light his scepter to illuminate the darkness. The light mystic knights fanned out in small groups to secure the room.

"This is the fifth time," Leilan said.

"Fifth time?" Ra questioned.

Athena nodded grimly her ascent to Leilan's words. "Indeed. This is the fifth time in a major engagement that they have attained the upper-hand. Our diversions, traps, prior defensive strategies, all rendered useless with little effort."

"So they really do have something helping them."

"I am starting to lean towards Metatron's theory more and more," Leilan added. "This being is not of this world."

"Takamura's warning?"

Leilan hefted her halberd and helped Ra to his feet. "Yeah. Well, let's just retrieve the magic stones for Pandora."

The three god monsters followed their knights further into the darkness. They prayed that this all-seeing entity didn't know of the secret passage that led out of the temple.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Sarkast**

**In-Game Timer: Day 7**

**5:22 PM**

Ray listened intently and without interruption as Leilan relayed her story: Takamura's warning, the war of the monsters, and this evil entity that could read their every move. It was an over-abundance of information that flooded Ray's senses. It was almost too much to grasp.

Ray knew Takamura. Or at least, he knew enough about him. Takamura's company was the reason why the virtual world existed. He was the one who came up with the code that created it and allowed it to function. Ray was one of the admirers of his genius. The news of his death had shaken much of the corporate world.

As Leilan continued, Ray laced his fingers in front of his face to hide the hint of a grin he couldn't suppress. He had noticed that Leilan was not the talkative type. She was more of a person who dismissed trivial conversation in favor of an obsessive focus on the particular task at hand. But when she got to talking about a topic of importance or just out of pure interest, she could go on and on, and sometimes Ray could observe that glimmer in her eyes when her features became more animated. Her passion was unquestionable.

The information about the universal code was troubling. A code that was derived from his own world? Ray didn't know how to take this. Did this mean that Takamura figured out how to create existence itself? It sure seemed that way.

When Leilan concluded with the most recent events at Caramoc Cove against Satan he couldn't keep his hands from trembling. He rested his face against his hands so it wouldn't be too noticeable. One thing was certain to him. His comrades were losing this war. But with this Reversion that Leilan spoke of, they now had a much better chance than before.

Ray's mind went blank, and it wasn't for another few minutes that he decided to move after Leilan's story ended. He rose slowly from his chair and worked the sleep from his legs. He stared at the two monsters who were now waiting for him expectantly to break the silence.

"I need time to think," Ray said.

Leilan nodded her understanding. "Of course. It only makes sense. It's a lot to take in."

Ray chuckled. "And here I thought I was going to be playing a game."

He left the room and took a seat at his kitchen table. He drummed his fingers on the smoothed oak as his other hand continued trembling. A thrilled shudder coursed through his body as all the information was processed and came together. His shivering body indicated fear, but their was something that overshadowed it by far. Excitement.

He couldn't remember a time where it had felt so good to be alive. The world he had planned to use as an escape from his own had turned into so much more. It felt as if there was nothing for him in his own world. It lacked something. Was his desire selfish? Of course it was. He knew it well. But his whole life had been spent pleasing others while leaving his own wishes tucked away somewhere that had once been forgotten. Not anymore. This world would give him something that he thought was never meant for him. That greater purpose.


	12. Chapter 11- Comrades

**A/N: And so another chapter arrives. **

**A quick definition for those who don't know. An NPC is a "non-playable character."This is a character not assumed by a Player and is typically controlled by an AI. However, given the fact that this is a real world, are they actually human?**

* * *

"_These supposed 'gifts,' bestowed upon us by an entity born and perceived by man's conflicting images, are both a symbol of benevolence as well as of an uncontrolled destiny promising self-destruction."-Ray Andylon_

**Chapter 11- Comrades**

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Iris Hills**

**In-Game Timer: Day 13**

**1:16 PM**

The days following the revelation of the existence of the supposed virtual world brimmed not only with travel and the search for power, but were also accompanied by the distraction of self-discovery. For the most part, journeying through dungeons and defeating enemy monsters to obtain greater strength became a painstakingly mundane task as the conclusions of the dungeons provided no more secrets about the world that Ray hoped for. He knew it was necessary to explore the area around the great military city of Sarkast and to win the race that was the quest for power.

Leilan had explained how dire their situation was. The Guardian monsters were losing the war against the Legion due to the fact that many of their allies had been banished to dungeons much the same as Verche. The realization that they were still alive was a great relief; however, it also meant that they would be out of the action as the enemy also worked to regain the lost strength from the _Reversion._ It was also likely that by now the enemy monsters understood their true potential that could be unlocked with the skill of a competent Player.

And Takamura. The man who had created this world. Who were the people that were after him? Ray knew for a fact that there was no way they would possibly give up on something as powerful as creating worlds. Where, when, and how would they make their next move?

Leilan and Verche had opted to withhold some of their knowledge from him out of fear that this all-knowing ally of the Legion was still watching from all around them. Ray gave a hesitant assent to this reasoning. It was sound, but he knew that it wasn't the only reason. He knew that they didn't fully trust him yet. He didn't take offense to this. It was only rational to have suspicions about humans who came from another world, especially when these humans had arrived with the intention of divulging in pleasure in the form of combat. It was a world that was meant to be just a game to them.

Ray became lost in his pondering as he sat at the exit of the latest dungeon that he and his monster companions had recently completed. The dungeons in the area ranged from the _intermediate _difficulty to _expert._ The levels of _master_ that he wanted to attempt still eluded him as well as the special dungeons.

He glanced up as Leilan and Verche returned from the forest with a dark mystic knight in tow. The knight had clearly decided that resisting the god monsters was a waste of effort. Leilan and Verche released it and it fell to its knees awkwardly. Ray noted the deep red gash in its side as it forced its body up.

It stilled amazed Ray how real all the inhabitants of this world were. The knight had a rasp to its breath and its shoulders heaved involuntarily with random spasms due to the erratic air intake. Ray took note of how a metaled finger at its side twitched and tapped against its armor. Every individual in this world was different from the other.

Leilan's voice woke him from his stupor. "Best start talking now."

The knight on the ground shrugged off a hand that Verche had rested on its shoulder to keep it still. It did no more than grunt in reply.

"That's a bad answer," Verche said offhandedly. He rested his foot on the mystic knight's back and pushed it helmet-first into the dirt. The knight let out a pained gasp as it landed on its injured side. It rose to its hands and knees and swore.

Verche crouched next to it and drove his broadsword into the dirt right in front of the knight's face. It flinched involuntarily as the blade scraped against its helmet.

"What are dark mystic knights doing so close to Sarkast?" Verche asked.

The knight stared at Verche. Ray couldn't see its eyes in the darkness of its helmet, but he could sense the hate it felt towards the god monster. It didn't answer.

Ray, Leilan, and Verche had discovered a sizable force of dark mystic knights at the exit of the dungeon that led to the Iris Hills near the outskirts of the town of Teril to the northeast of Sarkast. With the help of Ray's skillful use of orbs along with Verche and Leilan's careful aerial assault, they were able to intercept a stray scouting group. The enemy was dispatched quickly and quietly with the capture of the knight that now sat before them. To top it all off, the knight knew Leilan.

"So you were at Caramoc Cove with Satan," Leilan commented.

The knight let out a sigh and cracked its neck. Leilan waited patiently.

"Indeed," the knight answered.

"Where were you heading?"

"Classified."

Verche let out a controlled, humorless chuckle. "I'm sure it is."

Ray couldn't stay quiet any longer. "Would they possibly attack a small town like Teril?"

Leilan looked at him as if she had just remembered he was there. She shook her head. "Doubtful. It's a small town, but with the number of outposts in the area and a partnership with Sarkast there are far too many soldiers to launch an attack."

"There are also monsters who have dedicated themselves to protecting that area," Verche added. "Monsters that do not have the status of gods but may rival our power at this point."

The dark mystic knight let out a short snicker.

Leilan regarded it curiously. "Something funny?"

"A little," the knight said. It looked each one of them in the eye. "Teril is small fry."

"What do you mean?"

The knight didn't answer and went back to observing them.

Verche looked to Leilan for her opinion on the situation. Leilan motioned for Ray to stand with them. He made sure that there was no hesitation in his step as he came forward.

"Torture isn't my style," Verche said.

"Nor mine," Leilan responded.

They both turned to Ray expectantly who took a bewildered step back. He stared at both of them in disbelief.

"No no. Noooo way," he said raising his hands. "I don't do that."

"Even with what you now know? You've killed enemies before."

"Yeah, but this is different. I am not capable of something like this."

Leilan and Verche glanced at each other and then at the dark mystic knight with a hand clamped over its wound. They both simultaneously looked back at Ray who stared with plain confusion.

Verche shrugged. "I guess I might have expected as much."

"Not a bad quality," Leilan concurred.

Ray's shoulders slumped. "Are you serious? Really?"

"Maybe," Leilan and Verche answered in unison.

"Unbelievable." Ray kicked a stray rock into the woods in frustration.

The two god monsters turned their attention back to the mystic knight that now lay on its side like a top-heavy turtle. Its hands now lay limp at its side with only a few faint traces of breath emitting from the black helmet.

Verche drew his sword from the dirt and stood over the mystic knight. In his opinion, it wasn't necessarily cold-blooded to kill the dying knight at this point. It was more of a mercy.

Verche drove his blade through the knight's chest.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Sarkast**

**In-Game Timer: Day 14**

**11:04 AM**

The following day, after the incident with the stray group of mystic knights, Ray walked through the bustling inner city of Sarkast in the central market area. The streets were packed with throngs of people moving along the cobblestone roads. A number of stalls lined the alleyways with vendors selling their wares that ranged anywhere from light weapons to small animals. Ray read some of the wooden and stone-chiseled signs in the doorways of shops that provided everything an adventurer could possibly need: _Deegon's Apparel, Sarkastian Dragon Alchemy, The Traveler's Den, RPTC Goods, _and so forth.

Standing off to the sides of the street were guards in elaborate armor with the crest of Sarkast emblazoned on their shields and chests. The glaives they wielded were not the work of amateur blacksmiths. They were far more intricate, and each guard held the poles of the weapons easily in their trained hands. Their stern expressions eyed the crowds with unwavering attention. It was the military city of Sarkast after all. Each soldier was a hardened veteran in combat.

The road began to slant upward as he exited the market area and entered another section of the city that was more to his taste. Humans in armor and traveling gear roamed the streets. They exited gray stone buildings wielding newly purchased armor, weapons, and their own recently enhanced materials. The circle of buildings reminded Ray of a shorter version of Columbus Circle when he had visited Manhattan in New York City. Excluding the skyscrapers.

Even the statue at the center of the plaza reminded him of his own world. He took the time to approach the statue and stared at the large figure of a man wielding a double-sided axe. In his other hand was his helmet that looked as if it was just about to slip from his fingertips. He sat upon an armored horse that stared off to the side at some unseen enemy.

Ray squatted in front of the flat marble that was embedded at the base of the statue and observed the names etched into it: _Lord Mal Saf, General of the 18__th__ Royal Division_ and _Second in Command, Storm Glory._

"He was an impressive man."

Ray whirled about at the sound of the gruff voice. A big middle-aged man stood behind him with his arms crossed over his wide barrel of a chest. He walked up to stand next to Ray and ran a hand through his thick black beard as he gazed upon the statue. Ray could hear the stretching of his leather vest from the movement of his massive arms. The man pointed at a medal that rested on the chest of the statue.

"That medal was given to him when he and his men disobeyed the orders of the third king, King Malkoff, and marched to the aid of a group of allied monsters near the southern Bakke Mountains. His men were loyal and ignored the warnings of the other generals. They followed their leader to take the shortest route so that they could provide reinforcements in time."

"They traveled through the deadlands," Ray breathed in admiration.

The large man looked at him with approval. "That's right." He then pointed at the same medal that was attached to the horse's own armor. "Even his steed received the medal. Storm Glory was a magnificent horse. He accompanied Lord Saf in a total of twelve campaigns. The tough bastard even managed to outlive its rider."

Ray examined the stone and noticed the same orbs that he had seen so many times on the boards he solved carved into the medal. The crest of Sarkast with its twin blades and outstretched wings encompassed them.

"What was the name of the medal?" Ray asked.

"Ah, that is something interesting about it," the man answered. "It was the first and only time the medal was ever given to a human. It is bestowed upon a human with the agreement of both humans and monsters for great courage and sacrifice. For the seemingly eternal struggle to bring all monsters and humans to peace. They call it the _Union Medal._"

Ray couldn't take his eyes away from the statue. This was a man who had fought for the sake of both humans and monsters. Ray remembered that most of the people of Millshore actually hated monsters. There were probably plenty of other people who had the same feelings. But there were some who were like this man.

"But I'm sure you aren't here for a history lesson," the man said clearing his throat.

"That's true," Ray said. "But I'm always looking to learn along the way.

The man gave him a wide grin. "Please tell me you are Ray Andylon."

"That would be me."

The big man clapped one of his powerful hands on Ray's shoulder and let out a loud laugh that could be heard from all around the plaza. "Wonderful! Follow me then. We'll get your weapons sorted out."

* * *

The man introduced himself as Desdon Maverick as they entered one of the gray stone buildings off to the side on the main street. Ray was met by a blast of heat that watered his eyes as Desdon opened the door. Desdon made a comment about how it was the best feeling in the world for a blacksmith.

The inside was not what Ray had expected. The first room consisted of a long wooden table with enough chairs to seat a sizable party. The front wall was lined with benches with soft cushions of a muddied brown color to match the wood supports of the room. The last piece of furniture was a desk off to the right side that was littered with documents and a variety of metal tools. An open doorway led to a massive room that Ray assumed was where the forge resided for the blacksmith's work.

"So you know Verche," Ray said.

Desdon nodded. "Aye. Rare to have personal friendships between monsters and humans, but we have some history."

As he finished this statement, a plume of smoke began to drift from the open doorway leading to the forge. A loud clang reached their ears accompanied by a shout of distress.

Ray's instincts kicked in at that moment and he rushed to the side of the doorway with his blade drawn. He stared into the other room bewildered as Desdon simply shook his head with a hand to his forehead. Ray looked at him curiously.

"It's alright," Desdon assured him. "It's just Sophie."

"Sophie?"

Desdon simply nodded and strode into the room. Ray trailed behind him and took the features of the room in. It was definitely the forge. Three anvils were set up along the center of the room with a wide assortment of metal tools on shelves lining the walls: chisels, different types of hammers, and other tools along with what appeared to be some sort of blowtorch with a gem embedded in its side. Ray couldn't believe the number of weapons that rested against the walls as well: axes, katanas, broadswords, spears. There was even a weapon that looked like some sort of giant shuriken.

An individual in a long-sleeve linen shirt rose up from behind the anvils and tools. A cylindrical helmet with a metal face mask and a thin-cut visor of glass on the front covered the person's entire head. Ray could tell by the figure that the person was a female as she patted down her breeches, even though there was no way she could possibly expel the traces of coal and soot that covered it. She tore off her full-grain leather apron and let it fall heavily to the ground. She removed her helmet to reveal her pretty face and an exuberant grin. Even with her helmet on, she had somehow managed to get some of the black residue in her blonde hair.

She rubbed the back of her head apologetically as Desdon let out a sigh of exasperation.

"Ah, sorry mister Maverick. I was, um, trying out a new finish." She let out a pleasant laugh. Ray wasn't really sure if there was any humor behind it or not.

Desdon approached her and took the large hammer and chisel from her hands and eyed both of them. "How did you manage to produce so much smoke from finishing?" Finishing a weapon usually involved grinding stones, some minor heat treatment, and the use of other fine tools. How she had managed to produce any smoke at all would continue to be a mystery even with her explanation.

"I had some secramite left over and that tends to spark more than other metals."

"It sparks! You are working at an anvil. It shouldn't erupt into flames."

The girl looked down at the ground dejectedly. "Sorry."

Desdon exhaled heavily and patted her on the head. "Don't you have orders to finish anyway?"

"But they're so boooriiiiiing. Enhancing isn't any fun."

The girl finally noticed that there was someone else in the room and she jumped back in surprise as she saw Ray standing in the doorway. Desdon seemed to have forgotten about Ray during his scolding and he returned his attention back to him with his good mood renewed.

"Sorry about that Ray. Sophie tends to experiment a bit with her work."

Ray shrugged. "It's fine." He turned his attention to Sophie and gave her a curt bow. "My name is Ray Andylon. Nice to meet you."

Ray's greeting seemed to put her at ease and she returned the greeting. "I'm, um, Sophie Katriin. Nice to meet you as well. Sorry about the mess."

Desdon motioned to the database on Ray's wrist. "Why don't you show us what you have."

"Sure."

Ray opened up his database and the holographic screen presented him with his options. Sophie stared in amazement as he accessed his inventory and highlighted a couple of selections. He confirmed his choices and the database closed to produce a short cone of soft blue light that began etching materials like a printer preparing a document. The cone retracted back into the database upon completion. On the ground was a mound of cobalt ores that he had collected from a dungeon recently conquered with his monster partners.

Ray gestured to the ores. "Well, you mentioned secramite. Here's some more."

Sophie's eyes sparkled as she rushed forward so she could examine the ores. She pulled out a bizarre device from a pouch on her apron with a round piece of glass attached to a handle much like a magnifying glass. She stepped around the ores and scrutinized them from all angles before she folded the handle of her inspection tool and placed it back into its pouch.

"Well?" Desdon asked.

Sophie massaged a finger under her chin deep in thought. After a few seconds a broad grin formed and she turned to Ray with that gleam still in her eyes. Ray tilted his head quizzically awaiting her verdict.

"This is some of the finest secramite I have ever seen!" she announced. "Secramite tends to degrade if it is not in the proper environment. A very strange ore. And the environment is very strict when it comes to moisture. This bit right here is nearly perfect."

Ray couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief at this news. He was aware of the metal's volatility and worried that it might be unusable.

Ray addressed Desdon, "So do you think maybe you can put together what I need?"

Desdon shook his head. "No, not me." He tilted his head to Sophie. "She will provide you with what you need."

This was an unforeseen complication. Verche had said that Desdon would take care of his weapons as a blacksmith with thirty years of experience under his belt. Now he was going to entrust his weapons to this girl whose age wasn't even close to that experience? After witnessing what she had done with the other bit of secramite he was beginning to wonder if maybe it would be best to find some other alternative.

Desdon seemed to have read his expression judging by his next words. "It's true that this is my forge. However, due to an injury in the war I am unable to carry out most of my work. Sophie here was my apprentice for many years and I have shared all my knowledge and techniques with her. Over time she has even developed some of her own. Now I could safely argue that she is one of the finest blacksmiths in all of Pirugan. She may even have surpassed me."

Sophie beamed at this and puffed her chest out proudly.

Ray sighed. _Well great. Guess it's decision time._

Verche had sworn by Desdon and claimed that he could take care of anything he needed when it concerned metalwork. Ray wasn't sure if Verche could have possibly anticipated what he had just heard. This girl didn't even have the physique of a blacksmith. She had some decent muscle from years of work, that much was clear, but still, her clumsiness was worrisome.

Ray gave Sophie a sideways glance. Her eyes were practically quivering and she fidgeted her hands nervously at his apparent hesitation.

_Ugh. I am so bad at saying no._

Well, if Verche trusted Desdon, and Desdon trusted Sophie, Ray reasoned that would be enough. He would risk giving her a shot.

"Alright," Ray said. "I leave it in your hands then."

Sophie clasped her hands together and wore that winning grin on her face once again.

She thanked Ray numerous times and even went so far as to hug him, which made him slightly uncomfortable.

"So what do you need?" she asked excitedly.

Ray drew his katana from its sheath and presented it to her. "I need you to reinforce this blade."

Sophie's enthusiasm faltered as she realized what he was asking. "You just want basic enhancement then."

Ray could read the disappointment in her voice. But it was one of the things he needed. He hoped that his next request would light the fire back up.

"That isn't all," he continued. He reached for the leather straps on his wrist that were a part of his hidden blade. "I need this reinforced as well. But that's not all. I would like for you to mimic this with a few other adjustments."

The fire was back. She swiped the hidden blade out of his hands just as Ray finished undoing all of the straps. She looked it over and tested some of the components. She prodded the switch that revealed the blade a few times to get a feel for its balance.

"I can do this," she finally said after inspecting the device. She seemed rather confident in her statement. It made Ray feel a little bit better about his decision.

"So do you just want another one?" she asked.

Ray shook his head. "No." He lifted his wrist to show her the database. "You might want to check this as well. I want you to attach a blade to this."

* * *

Ray didn't need to ask her if she could get to work on the new blade as soon as the time presented itself. She was ready to go with no need for persuasion. In order for her to commence work on the new blade she would need Ray to be present during the entire process. The database might as well have been a part of Ray since it was permanently attached to his skin.

Sophie first started on the reinforcement of his katana so she could save the more ambitious work for last. Desdon wasn't kidding when he said that she knew her way around the forge. She was able to multitask between enhancing his hidden blade while also working on the katana. Sophie carefully used the tool that looked like a blowtorch and seared the lower half of the blade. She then began to upset the lower portion with a flat hard material akin to a whetstone that took the searing blue heat and moved it up the blade. Ray couldn't begin to understand the strange process, but the results were palpable. He could clearly observe that the edge of the blade was finer with an angle that would allow for a smoother cut through the air. Sophie even went so far as to etch a wavelike design in the flat of the blade that she claimed would keep it from getting lodged in some materials. Ray discarded all previous doubt as he admired the blade when the work was complete.

Now that she had "warmed up," Sophie began the cutting of the ore into multiple small pieces that would cover certain parts of the database that were not used. The parts circumvented the slots on its bottom and circled the buttons that Ray needed to operate to access the database. The metal pieces interlocked like a puzzle and were combined with angled, jagged screws attached to thin strips of leather and then fused with ductile copper pieces that were sealed with a barely discernible layer of secramite.

There were some parts of the process that were painful since some of the metal already attached to Ray's wrist needed heating, but Sophie attempted to alleviate the pain with cloth soaked in a nonflammable cooling gel. Ray made sure not to betray his pain with any expression. He did not complain through the process or interrupt Sophie's focus.

Ray was relieved when the second-to-last step of the process allowed him to soak his wrist in a freezing cold bucket of water. Sophie made the last fine adjustments and the blade was complete.

Sophie stepped back to admire her work and nodded with satisfaction. "So, how does it feel?"

Ray extended his arm out straight and lifted it up and down a few times to check its weight. He then attached his other hidden blade that had been recently enhanced and lifted both arms out to his side a few times. Despite the fact that both of the hidden blades were originally made of different materials they still appeared to have the same mass. Ray flicked the metal switch on the blade attached to his database and it thrust out smoothly and without any sound. The same could be said of the blade attached with the leather straps.

"It's perfect," Ray answered.

Sophie clapped her hands together pleased with his response.

Desdon then entered the forge with a tray balanced with three large glass mugs filled with a liquid of amber hue. He watched as Sophie held Ray's wrist and began to explain some of the additions she made to his weapons that would make the blades easier to access. Ray listened intently to her instructions.

Desdon cleared his throat to indicate he was in the room. The two of them halted their conversation as Desdon approached them with the mugs.

"I'm glad to see that everything turned out alright." He placed the tray on a wooden table off to the side. He approached Ray and went to inspect Sophie's work. She stood off to the side nervously with her hands behind her back.

Desdon cocked an eyebrow as he curiously examined the switch that revealed the blade from Ray's database. "Switch is at an opposite sixty-degree angle," Desdon commented. "Why is that?"

"Ah, well," Sophie started with a nervous stutter. "Ray said he was right-handed. I figured if he still happened to have his sword in his hand it would be easier for him to engage the release with more of a circular motion to his thumb instead of clenching it inward like a fist."

Ray hadn't even considered that the switch was curved at an opposite angle from the natural movement of his thumb. The level of detail was even more impressive than he realized.

Desdon noticed the nervous expression on Sophie's face and laughed good-naturedly. "Don't be so serious girl. I trust your judgment. Was just a comment. This is some fine work." He turned to Ray. "But is the wielder satisfied?"

"Absolutely." Ray said.

"Wonderful! Let's drink to this success! And to a new friend!"

Ray found that the drinks were actually beer as he tested its aroma. Sophie guzzled nearly half of her pint in one down. Desdon sat back in a chair and enjoyed the beer as he savored the bitter and creamy aftertaste.

They sat for some time in silence, content with company without the need for any sort of conversation.

When they finished their beer Sophie broke the silence. "So where are you planning to head next Ray?"

"The plan is to head for the base of Flint Peak towards Teril. Had a couple of-"

Ray found himself interrupted by a loud gasp that came from Sophie. She clapped her hands over her mouth.

"Sorry sorry. I just got excited that's all."

Desdon groaned and went to stroking his beard. Ray soon found that this was a sign of either exasperation or a moment of deep pondering. Ray assumed the groan was an indication of the former.

"What's so exciting?" Ray asked.

"I'm glad you asked! Do you have any idea as to how many rare metals can be found at the peak?"

"Um-"

"Dozens! Even various dragon metals! There are even rare traces of caricthmian metal!"

Ray didn't like where this was going. "So what about it?"

She then sat back in her seat and went to the fiddling she usually did when she was apprehensive. "Could you, I dunno, maybe, let me tag along?"

Ray stared at her in disbelief. "You can't be serious." The words were out before he even had a chance to consider them. The idea seemed absurd. He was a Player in the company of monsters with the intention of entering hostile territory and dungeons filled with enemy monsters.

Sophie stared at him with the puppy dog eyes just as the same as in the forge.

_Oh god please don't do that,_ Ray thought desperately.

He looked to Desdon pleadingly. The former blacksmith was pretending to look at something of interest outside the window as if he were deaf to the conversation. Ray looked back at Sophie who leaned forward breathless.

Ray crossed his arms and heaved a heavy sigh of defeat. _Yukiko is going to kill me._

"Alright," Ray finally said, "You can-"

Before he could even finish, Sophie had already leaped out of her chair and rushed back into the forge. She was in such a rush that she tripped over her own feet and nearly drove her head into one of the anvils. There was the deafening clang of metal and the thumping of objects as they fell from shelves.

Ray turned to Desdon who gave him a sympathetic smile. He knew how difficult it was to refuse Sophie. Ray couldn't help picturing a small kitty shivering in a cardboard box in the rain when he saw her pleading eyes. He had always been a sucker when it came to people asking for favors. Females always seemed to be an automatic knockout, especially cute girls like Sophie.

Sophie returned in a matter of minutes (along with what sounded like the destruction of expensive equipment), and slung her sheathed broadsword over her shoulder along with a pack filled with what Ray guessed was traveling gear. Attached to her hip was a long, elongated dagger accompanied with a small pouch containing some unknown contents. In her arms were folded leather bags to carry the ores that she planned to collect on the trip.

"You do realize I can just carry the ores in my inventory right?"

Sophie dropped the bags. "How much space do you have?" Her excitement was mounting. Ray now realized his mistake. But he was a bad liar.

"Well, a couple doze slots. I increased my space with some magic stones. I guess my inventory could carry at least a hundred-"

Sophie grabbed Ray's hand before he could continue and pulled him to the door with a strength that seemed impossible even for a girl who was a blacksmith by trade. Ray's feet dragged along the ground before he could regain his bearings.

"I'll be back later Mr. Maverick!" Sophie shouted.

Ray could see Desdon wave his hand apologetically as he was dragged out into the street.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Flint Peak**

**In-Game Timer: Day 14**

**3:30 PM**

"This is a stupid idea."

"I am inclined to agree."

"Well...yes. I suppose."

Ray and his monster comrades left the Iris Hills behind them as they came upon the tower of smoothed stone. Flint Peak was an area teaming with monsters of a higher class than the weak demons and goblins they had encountered as of late. There were reports of dark armored ogres and even a few sightings of a strange monster that other Players had yet to successfully analyze with their databases.

Everyone was against the idea of bringing along the blacksmith girl. For one thing, she was not a Player. She didn't have a monster to fight for her and there was no puzzle mode barrier to protect her when the fighting got dicey. Second, many of them were growing weary of her constant chatter. She was the type of person who was timid and reserved around new people, and the group traveled in silence for about half of the journey. It only took a few hours for Sophie to get comfortable with the strangers and she began to discuss frivolities that only Parvati even pretended to listen to. The incessant chatter was especially grating to Yukiko's nerves.

Yukiko had been the one who invited Ray on this expedition. Over the course of the past week Ray was surprised by how often Yukiko had requested him to join her to explore the areas surrounding the city. She was always the same as when he had first met her at Mercury Lake with her quiet, passive nature with no interest in any social interaction. But just the fact that she was becoming more confident with his skills was a good enough sign that she deemed him competent to at least be of use.

Ray had noticed the plain irritation on Yukiko's face when he met up with her outside of Sarkast to begin the trek to the dungeon. Her typical, static nature was disturbed by a slight twitch of the eye and the hint of a frown of disapproval.

Leilan was quick to voice her objection at the foolish idea and was certain that a normal civilian was not capable of surviving a dungeon meant for monsters and Players. Unfortunately for her, Verche didn't seem completely adverse to the idea. He didn't necessarily relay any approval, but his neutrality didn't help Leilan's case.

As they approached the dungeon, Parvati, riding upon her tiger, Somanandi, scouted ahead and moved along the eastern and western edges of the peak for any signs of hostiles. Verche flew up to a ledge a few meters above to scan the hills while Leilan covered the rear to make certain that they hadn't been followed.

Yukiko took this opportunity to approach Ray while Sophie started ahead of them. Ray pretended not to notice her until she spoke.

"I have to wonder what goes through your head sometimes," she said bluntly.

"I'm not sure what you mean." He immediately realized that feigning ignorance was a terrible idea with Yukiko.

"You brought an NPC with us. That girl is a liability. I don't care if she has some skill with a sword. It is foolish to enter a dungeon without the help of monsters."

Ray stared off at Sophie who now stood next to Parvati as she examined the entrance to the dungeon in the side of the peak. He knew Yukiko was right. It hadn't even occurred to him until a few hours ago that Sophie might not even be able to enter the dungeon in the first place. Dungeons were meant for Players, not the people of this world.

"I'm not sure," Ray said. "Guess I'm just bad at saying no."

Before Yukiko could respond to this statement, the scraping and rustling of the foliage towards the eastern side of the peak caught her attention. Ray drew his blade and skirted to the right while Yukiko fanned out to the left. Verche positioned himself above the target area on a narrow ledge and hooked his fingers on an outcropping of stone to lean forward. Leilan remained obscured by the hills to the south as Parvati positioned herself at the center of their wide formation. Sophie hugged the peak with her broadsword raised in a defensive stance.

What happened next took all of them off guard. The supposed enemy didn't appear from the disturbed area, but rather, dove into the clearing at breakneck speed from the exact opposite side. The monster bounded back and forth with absurd agility and latched onto the wall of stone with her catlike paws. Her cat ears twitched as she took in the subtle sounds of the monsters' and Players' movements as they attempted to reposition themselves. Her white linen sheath dress lined with gold fibers nearly obscured her tan body as she lowered herself to the ground and eyed them one by one. Neither side took a breath.

An eerie silence settled in and all Ray could hear was the strain of leather on the handle of his weapon from his tightening grip.

After what felt like an eternity, the female cat monster straightened herself. Seeming satisfied, she brushed the twigs and leaves out of her violet hair and rose her sharp paws calmly to show she had no intention of fighting.

Ray and his comrades eased their weapons but still remained on alert.

The catlike female monster spoke with a cute, yet punctual voice, "So, three god monsters eh? And, two Players? And a human girl. What interesting company."

Yukiko was the first to sheath her blade and compose herself. "You are-"

"Bastet. Nice tah meetcha." The cat girl ran her paws through her hair again and scratched at the side of her neck. She certainly acted like a cat.

Before they could take the conversation further everyone heard a desperate voice shout from behind Bastet.

"Bastet! Wait up! You always run ahead!"

Bastet made a strange face that was difficult to read as a young man came rushing out behind her. He rested his hands on his knees and gasped for air. He also had some debris from the forest in his brown hair. His lime green armor was matted in dirt on one side that indicated he had taken a heavy fall somewhere along the way to the peak. He looked up after catching his breath. Upon seeing the three monsters that stood around their Players he stumbled back and drew a hand axe from his belt and eyed them warily.

Yukiko settled her hands on her hips and addressed the new Player, "Relax. We can't fight each other unless we have a full team of monsters remember?"

The new Player froze in place. He let out a relieved sigh as he processed her words. He returned the axe to his belt and took a deep breath to compose himself.

"Right, right. So sorry. I forgot. Well, actually, that's a lie. I didn't actually read the game guide before coming here." He gave them a wide, silly grin.  
An uncomfortable silence followed as the two groups stared at each other unsure of where to move next with their encounter.

Ray decided that at least someone had to step up. He didn't like to have to be the one, but he pushed through the anxiety.

"My name's Ray," he greeted. He gestured to his comrades. "This is Yukiko and Parvati. My NPC friend is Sophie. And this is-"

The young male Player interrupted him as he realized that Sophie wasn't actually a Player. So there were two Players and three monsters standing in front of him. "Wait a second! Holy hell! One of you has two monsters already?"

"Um, well, yes."

"That's crazy! Oh wait, sorry. I completely forgot to introduce myself," the young man said quickly. Ray could barely catch what he was saying. "My name's Kurt. Nice meeting you guys."

Ray laughed nervously. He attempted to steer the conversation in another direction to divert the attention away from him. "Well, anyway, we are about to enter a party dungeon so..."

"Oh yeah. I gotcha. Well, how many Players can enter these dungeons anyway?"

"Four Players, each with one monster, can enter party dungeons," Yukiko answered in irritation. She just wanted to get started on the dungeon already.

Kurt seemed to sense her aggravation and decided on getting straight to the point. "Well, if you have room, you mind if I tag along? We could sure use the experience and all. I know we just met and all, but, y'know. We could help out."

"He also doesn't have any friends," Bastet added mercilessly.

Kurt's head dropped heavily and his shoulders sagged at the blunt remark. "Y'know, it sounds really sad when you put it like that Bastet."

Bastet's shrug held no concern for his self-esteem.

Ray glanced over at Yukiko whose expression was unreadable. The impatient tapping of her foot made Ray nervous.

"Well, sure. I don't see why not," Ray finally answered.

Kurt's spirits lifted at this and he thanked Ray profusely for allowing him to join the group. He also expressed his gratitude to Yukiko who had not even expressed an opinion on the matter. She rolled her eyes as he shook her hand.

Verche and Leilan waved Ray away from the others while they were distracted so they could speak in private.

"Only one monster per Player," Verche repeated. "I suggest Leilan enter the dungeon with you Ray. I have a contact near Teril that I wish to seek out. He might know what is going on with the dark mystic knights moving in these large groups around the area."

Leilan voiced her agreement, "Very well. Afterward, we should meet back at Sarkast and prepare for our trip tomorrow. We have already spent too much time here."

Ray glanced back over his shoulder and noticed Yukiko giving him a hard stare.

Verche was aware of her as well. "The girl is sharp. Best keep to yourselves until tomorrow."

Ray nodded. "Will do."

With everything settled, Verche extended his wings and gave them a quick salute as he launched himself into the air with a single motion of his powerful wings. Ray and Leilan didn't move until he had vanished behind some of the lower outcroppings of towering stone that dotted the horizon.

They rejoined their companions and allowed their new comrade, Kurt, to open the entrance to the dungeon. After a brief moment of hesitation, Sophie took a step into the dungeon and a circle etched into the stone off to the side emitted a soft glow. She let out a breath of thanks that the dungeon had opted to admit her. The circle beside it lit up as Kurt and Bastet entered along with the third from Ray and Leilan. Yukiko and Parvati took up the rear and the last circle shined among the others. A pale film of smooth energy lowered from the dungeon's entrance to seal off any other individuals that might attempt to enter. The stone doors sealed and the torches along the walls flickered to life to push back the darkness.

As they proceeded into the dungeon Ray could still feel that hard stare stabbing into his back.


	13. Chapter 12- Discovered

**A/N: At last another chapter arrives. It's been a good while since we got any concrete info on events in the real world. I had to do a decent amount of research for this, but I learned some interesting bits for future chapters as well. Normally I would've included the events happening in the virtual world as well, but it would have made the chapter convoluted and with an awkward transition. Plus, the chapter would've probably been 10k words. So yeeeaaahhh...no. **

**Hope you guys are enjoying the story and I appreciate any comments, critiques, suggestions, etc. Next chapter is well underway.**

* * *

_"There is evil within all of us, within monsters and humans alike. I do not claim myself as a perfect being in a flawed world filled with its own imbalance."-Plesios_

**Chapter 12- Discovered**

**Seattle, Washington**

**United States**

**May 25, 2020**

**Real World Time- 11:30 PM**

Terrance Prest entered the bar and scanned over the crowd. It seemed to be filled with most of the regulars he was accustomed to. There were only a few patrons he didn't recognize, and most looked as if they had just recently reached the legal drinking age. Another group of gentleman wearing leather biker jackets sat at a high-top table. No real cause for concern.

He sought out a booth that stood off to the left side near the bar that had a clear view of the entire room as well as the door and two windows that dominated the front of the establishment. The seats provided his eyes a view that was just high enough to view over the bar to observe any activity on the other side. It also lended him cover so that any other individuals would have to make it obvious that they were analyzing him with a plain stretch of the neck. Terrance had an upper body that was built longer than the average individual, which made his observations of the bar less conspicuous.

He removed his Yankees hat as a pretty waitress in a revealing, white and black referee outfit approached him.

"Are there any others in your party?" she asked with genuine friendliness.

"Yeah, one more," Terrance answered. "I'll take a beer though. You got Yuengling?"

The girl nodded. "Yup. Would you like it bottle or draught?"

"Draught would be great. Same for my friend."

The girl left him to issue his order to the bartender.

At the same time, right on cue, another man entered the bar wearing a shirt with a violent, elaborate design for a metal band that was foreign to Terrance. The man's mussed up, long hair seemed to get in the way of his eyes as he took in his surroundings much the same as Terrance had before. His image was in complete contrast to Terrance's appearance. The man noticed him off in the corner booth and approached him with a brisk pace that wasn't quite fast enough to be perceived as out of the ordinary. He eased himself into the booth and observed the bar before returning his attention to Terrance.

"So, you hear from Emily?"

The man abruptly halted the start of the conversation as the nice waitress returned to their table and set a chilled mug down for each of them.

"Is there anything else I can get for you gentleman?"

"Nah, we're good with the beer."

The girl nodded and moved on to one of her other customers.

When she was well out of earshot Terrance answered the man, "Yeah, everything is well underway. Rick got in and out without a hitch."

The other man sighed with relief. "Damn good." He took a deep gulp of his beer and downed nearly half the pint in one go. He shook his head as his brain took in the cold of the drink.

Terrance followed suit and they sat in silence for a time deep in their own thoughts.

Terrance finally broke the silence. "Paul. Carmen is dead."

The man named Paul nearly dropped his mug at this. He stared at Terrance in disbelief. The expression only lasted for a second though as his previous training kicked in to subconsciously mask his emotions. He took another long drink before responding to this news.

"How?"

"Murder."

Paul leaned back in his seat and drummed his fingers on the table. The cause of death was unexpected. They were all professionals at what they did. Well, except for Moore. He was more of a computer geek than an actual fighter. But there was no way some thugs on the street would be able to take someone out as well-trained as Carmen. Hell, a person would be hard-pressed to find anyone who could kill the man. When you've been to nearly every war-torn country across the Pacific it was difficult to get a man like that into a scenario he hasn't seen before. With that kind of experience, you'd practically need an army. The ones who killed him were possibly on their level. What was of even greater concern now was how they had managed to find out who he was.

"We've been off the grid for years," Paul commented. "I should know. I was with Rick when he wiped everything. None of the files even had our names on them in the first place. We were ghosts and codenames. As far as the world was concerned, our organization didn't even exist. So how the hell did they find him?"

Terrance shrugged and went to take another drink but realized that his glass was already empty.

"I couldn't tell you," he answered. "But whoever was after Takamura is after us now. They might not know about all of us. Actually, scratch that, they don't know about all of us. If that were the case, Rick and Emily would probably be dead already. They are sitting right in enemy territory after all."

Paul nodded. "Good point. But shit. Carmen huh. Don't think that will ever sink in."

They both sat in a long, uncomfortable silence. The next ten minutes passed quietly and was only interrupted as Terrance ordered another round when the waitress walked by.

"This is all crazy," Paul muttered as he went to work on his second beer. "A code that creates entire worlds. The hell is up with that?"

Terrance sighed and went back to examining their surroundings before making his own statement, "Yeah pretty absurd. We'll have to get more details from Rick when we meet up with them. He and Takamura were pretty close apparently."

The sound of glass shattering caught the pair's attention and they instinctively reached for the weapons at their waists. They relaxed as a waitress apologized to the bikers that Terrance had noted before and went to cleaning up the mug she had dropped.

Terrance pushed the topic in another direction as an interesting bit of information occurred to him. It was like the twitch of his instincts had jump-started his thought process. "So, you hear about these so-called Players?"

Paul shrugged. "Not much. Only that we have a few prospects who might be sympathetic to our cause."

Terrance shook his head. "That's not all. Get this. One of them is-"

He abruptly went silent and held the thought as he noticed a black SUV pull up nearly out of sight across the street from the bar. It was only by sheer luck that he happened to be moving to rest his shoulder against the wall that he was able to see the vehicle. A second happenstance confirmed his suspicions. A second SUV of similar design passed in front of the building and disappeared down the street as a parking space was taken by another car. A group of men in black sports jackets exited the first vehicle and seemed to examine the area. They began to make their way across the street toward the bar as the traffic thinned out.

Paul didn't need an explanation. The expression on Terrance's face was enough. He rose from his seat assuming an air of calm and tossed a wad of bills on the table for the waitress before he made his way with Terrance to the back of the bar.

A few of the employees eyed them curiously as they made their way past the kitchen to the back door, but the two men seemed to exude a tense aura that forced them to keep their distance.

Paul took point and eased the rear door open. He peered through the thin slit he made and observed two men in black turn the corner and enter the alley outside. He gazed upwards to the roof of the opposite building and didn't note any movement. It was difficult to tell if the same was true for the building they occupied from his angle so he produced a thin rectangular mirror from the small pouch attached to his waste. He moved it back and forth outside the door and found nothing but the dark sky in the reflection. There was still no guarantee that there wasn't anyone above or moving into position at that moment. They would have to move quickly.

Paul held up two fingers to Terrance, motioned upwards with his fingers together, and shook his head. If the other men made any move to their waists then they wouldn't hesitate to take them out. They couldn't be sure of who they were or of their intentions, but no chances could be taken. There was too much at stake. There was no such thing as coincidence.

Paul and Terrance drew their pistols from their holsters and screwed the suppressors hooked to their belts onto the barrels. They kept the guns to the side that would be out of view from the other two men to feign a lack of hostility. Terrance motioned Paul forward and they entered the alley and put on a surprised expression at seeing the two men in black. The men reached for the weapons at their waists instinctively. Paul and Terrance dropped them with three trained shots to the chest and the two men dropped. The only sound that could be heard was the soft thump of the pistols and the dull thud of the bodies collapsing.

They didn't waste any time moving in the opposite direction. They made their way to an open, square culdesac littered with trash that concealed spray painted lines that indicated it may have once been used as a basketball court for pickup games. Unfortunately, the only way out was a second alley. The buildings hugged too close together for any other exits.

Paul scanned the buildings with his trained observation while Terrance edged along the walls of the alley. They met no resistance and reached the end of the alley that opened up to another street.

"Just a block up," Paul whispered.

He had decided to park his car a few blocks down from the bar to prepare for the exact situation they now found themselves in. It was a policy that had served him well when he worked undercover. There was no point in placing a means of escape where the enemy would most likely be situated for an attack.

Only a few pedestrians moved along the street. There was little to no congestion on the road save for a few illegally parked cars that could potentially make it difficult to maneuver between the opposing lanes.

To the left was Paul's car, a 2019 silver Toyota Tundra situated in the nearest parallel parking spot with no cars blocking its front. However, next to the car standing on the sidewalk were two individuals in similar attire to the men they had met in the alley. The men inconspicuously held their pistols at their sides and positioned themselves to keep the weapons out of sight as pedestrians passed by. Two more stood on the opposite sidewalk and pretended to be engaged in idle chatter as they scanned the street.

Paul swore under his breath and Terrance looked at him quizzically.

"Four of them out there," Paul answered Terrance's look.

"How the hell did they know where you parked?"

Paul shook his head. "No idea. Scanned my car and everything. No bugs or GPS locators. Nothing. I always check before I go out."

It was true. Paul was probably the most paranoid out of all of them. Even more so than Emily. Checking all the closets and attic spaces in the house or any other potential places to hide was a policy of his whenever he returned home. He even went so far as to install cameras in every corner of the house. He wasn't just simply thorough.

Terrance risked a glance past Paul so he could gauge the situation in the street. There was no view of the windows on the buildings to either side of them. He would have to rely on Paul to take care of the men on the nearest sidewalk while he cleared the windows.

He noted a black Hyundai Accent parked next to a metal newspaper box to the right side. If there was anyone in the buildings on their side of the street then he would at least have cover to his front and rear. The position also provided an angle with a decent shot to the other side of the road. If the windows were clear then he could deal with the other two men across the street while Paul took cover behind his car. There didn't appear to be any other obvious variables, but the unpredictable ones always seemed to rear their ugly heads seemingly out of nowhere at the wrong time.

Terrance relayed his plan to Paul who nodded his assent. They agreed that waiting too long would not be in their best interest. When the men inside the bar returned empty-handed they would know something was up. Then they would likely discover the bodies in the alley shortly after and would advance in their direction. The slightest twitch would be acceptable now.

They received a better opportunity than they could have hoped for. Almost simultaneously, a woman walking down the opposite sidewalk approached one of the men and seemed to be inquiring about something as one of the men on the nearest sidewalk lifted the hand holding his pistol to scratch his nose. They might as well not have been armed in the first place.

Paul rushed out of the alley with his pistol already aimed and embedded three bullets into the man slightly more prepared than his partner who was now making a poor attempt at pointing his pistol. That split second it took to extend his arm away from his face to take aim was more than enough for Paul to fire two more shots: one that drove into the second man's shoulder and another that pierced his forehead. The man's head lolled to the side as his lifeless body collapsed to the cement.

The two men across the street saw their partners collapse and trained their weapons on Paul's position, but he was already on the move as he fired his pistol. He let off a few shots to force them to cover so Terrance could scan the two buildings behind them.

A quick scan of the buildings was more than enough for Terrance's trained senses and he lowered himself into a crouch as he made his way to cover. The disoriented assailants managed to let off a few rounds, but the closest one glanced off the trunk of the small car which was at least a good ten feet away.

Terrance spared a glance over to Paul who was now pulling out a handheld device from his back pocket that looked like some sort of cellphone. He ran the scanner over the length of the car and nodded with satisfaction as he opened the passenger side door. A single bullet sailed over Paul's head. He was unfazed as he pulled himself into the driver's seat.

Terrance let loose the rest of the rounds in the gun's magazine and made a run for the car. The two men in black removed themselves from cover seconds too late as Terrance jumped into the passenger seat. The car was already on the move. A couple of stray shots dug into the side of the car but none penetrated.

The two companions were about to relax themselves when a pair of familiar black SUVs turned around a corner at the intersection ahead.

"Sonuvabitch," Paul grumbled in irritation. He pointed to Terrance's seat. "Underneath. Get some lead."

Terrance complied and found under the seat a Folding Machine Gun (FMG) along with five magazines. He unfolded the machine gun, locked it securely in weapon phase, and rested the stock against his shoulder as he inserted the first magazine. He stared at the magazine in puzzlement with the slight change in weight he was accustomed to with this sort of weapon.

"How many-" Terrance was interrupted as Paul jerked the wheel to the left and clipped the back end of a Corvette. He was thankful that the other car had pulled up illegally on the crosswalk at the red light. It gave them just enough room to creep past the other car that was pulling forward. Paul made a hard right as the front wheels of the car bounced them up briefly from the curb before they turned back onto the street to avoid the vehicles that attempted to block them.

"Thirty-five rounds, nine-millimeters," Paul said anticipating the question.

Judging from the design, foldable stock, and magazine, Terrance could ascertain that the weapon was a new class of FMG: the FMG 12. The weapon had little to no recoil and was a weapon praised for its versatility.

Terrance glanced at the rear view mirror and observed that the two other vehicles that pursued them had managed to collect themselves. He rolled down the window and readied himself. It was inevitable that they would eventually be overtaken. Even though it was nearly midnight it was still a major city, and much of the populace was out and about to enjoy the nightlife that it had to offer.

The black SUVs separated, one taking to the lane beside the Toyota and the other maintaining position to the rear.

"Scare them a bit!" Paul growled through gritted teeth. He turned into the middle lane to give Terrance a clearer shot at the vehicle in the far lane.

Terrance opted to switch the FMG to automatic. He aimed the weapon towards the bottom half of the vehicle near the tires and pulled the trigger in two successive bursts as to not expend the precious ammo in one go and to maintain accuracy. His marksmanship was genuine and a loud satisfying pop like a miniature explosion reached his ears and one of the front tires of the SUV choked and caused the front end to sag to the left awkwardly. The driver panicked and jerked the wheel roughly to send the car straight into a streetlamp. The front hood caved inward and the car practically wrapped itself around the pole in a jaw of devastated metal.

"That's some nice shooting," Paul commented. He took a left at the next intersection and squeezed between two cars. He adroitly pulled across the lane of automobiles moving in the opposite direction and they were back on the correct side of the road. Miraculously, the driver of the SUV behind them managed to mimic this move and increased in speed as he gained confidence.

Terrance was about to speak when the rear window shattered and the rattle of bullets echoed off the skyscrapers. He steeled himself and rested the machine gun on the head of his seat and pumped out the rest of the rounds in his magazine. He ducked down as his pursuers returned fire and he reloaded the gun.

The engine of the Toyota roared as Paul stomped his foot on the accelerator. The sudden increase in speed jolted Terrance. He was about to protest this decision when he noticed the light ahead had just turned yellow. Paul was going to try and beat the light just as it turned red. The perpendicular traffic to the intersection might be able to keep their enemies from passing through.

As they neared the light, Paul let out a cry of dismay as an all too familiar vehicle turned a corner two intersections ahead.

"Dammit! How many of these fu-" Terrance froze as he saw a black blur out of the corner of his eye. It was just outside of Paul's window drawing closer.

Before Terrance could collect himself, the Toyota suddenly launched to the right and slid across the cement. A sharp pain impacted the side of his head and he could hear the muffled but unmistakable scraping of metal as the tires of their car screamed in retaliation to the force that defied their purpose. One of the rims dislodged and the vehicle lurched even further to the side before it finally came to rest with the driver side crumpled like aluminum foil.

Everything was a blur. Terrance could make out various shapes and colors but what they were associated with eluded him. The pain in the side of his head intensified as he attempted to regulate his situation. As his vision began to clear he forced his stiff neck to turn.

Terrance saw Paul with his head resting limp on his chest with eyes closed. Blood soaked through his shirt and was clearly discernible even with its dark color. His left arm was trapped by the door that snaked around the arm and cut deeply into his flesh. The mortal wound was a piece of metal that impaled his throat, angled inward due to the door's collision with the other car.

Paul suppressed the grief over his friend's death and searched desperately for the machine gun. There was no time to mourn.

He found the weapon quicker than he had expected. It was right on the floor in front of him and he reached for it with his one working arm. He hooked a finger on the trigger and eased it closer so he could wrap his hands around the handle.

Just before he could grab the weapon in a firm grip, the passenger side door swung open and a pair of hands seized him and flung him out onto the street. Terrance gasped as the air left his lungs and the pain in his head intensified with the impact. From sheer will he maintained his grip on the weapon. This resistance was brief as a heavy shoe stomped on his hand and kicked the weapon out of reach. He clenched his teeth in pain as someone pushed his arms aside to remove the pistol from his holster. Everything was blurry again. It felt like his brain had just collided with his skull. The lights lining the street were akin to pulsing stars.

Terrance blinked for several pained seconds to clear his vision, but to no avail.

The voice of an irritated male was audible somewhere off to the side. Terrance allowed his neck to release the support on his head so he could make a sideways glance at the direction of the voice.

"Sloppy," the voice said simply.

"Sorry sir, we didn't expect-"

"I don't want to hear it. You didn't expect them to notice you? Driving up in your black SUVs with tinted windows and wearing your matching sports coats. Gee, not suspicious at all. Good work genius." The first man, who was obviously in charge and with his sarcastic tone, made the other man visibly nervous.

Terrance could feel himself teetering on the edge of consciousness, but he was still able to collect his thoughts and interpret his position. If they wanted him dead they would have finished him off already. They wanted him alive. As long as he could still draw breath there was something to be salvaged. It was the way he was trained to think. No matter how hopeless the situation, there was still something that could arrange a way out. He determined to bide his time until then and collect whatever information he could until the time was right.

The frustrated man spoke again, "I also distinctly remember in the briefing that we needed one of them alive. This guy ain't looking so hot. And now that you guys made a mess, I have to clean it up and deal with the authorities. This is why I use my own guys. Not a bunch of incompetent corporate mercenaries."

"Sorry sir," the other man's reply was barely even a croak.

"Just take him to the designated checkpoint. As long as you drive between the lines you won't have problems. Can you handle that?"

"Yes sir."

The leader laughed humorlessly, "Wonderful! You have instilled so much confidence in me now."

With that final statement a pair of brown loafers planted themselves in front of Terrance's eyes and a figure crouched in front of him. The man examined Terrance up and down before clicking his tongue with distaste and stepped over Terrance's body as the sound of sirens could be heard in the distance.

Terrance's body refused to move and protested against his efforts. He wanted to at least see the man's face but found that even the simple tilt of his head was now a daunting task. His body screamed as a hand hooked underneath each of his armpits and dragged him to one of the black SUVs waiting in the middle of the street.

Terrance blacked out.


	14. Chapter 13- Tomb

_"To belong is to understand the tacit codes of the people you live with."_ -Michael Ignatieff, _Blood and Belonging_

**Chapter 13- Tomb**

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Flint Peak**

**In-Game Timer: Day 14**

**3:53 PM**

The dungeon was unlike any that Ray had entered before. While the previous dungeons were typically straightforward with little variety save for a few branching passages leading to different caverns, this dungeon was a labyrinth of stone bridges and dozens upon dozens of tunnels spiraling downward and upward. Ray wondered just how natural the dungeon was. It was as if some sort of giant, worm-like creature had burrowed throughout Flint Peak in a chaotic frenzy.

What was most disconcerting about the dungeon was the lack of enemies. The dungeon was eerily silent. All Ray could hear was the soft padding of his footsteps and the quiet beating of Leilan's wings as she descended and ascended to investigate paths that were out of everyone else's reach.

Even with the feeling of uneasiness given the dungeon's strange circumstances, Ray's apprehension was more towards the female Player that trailed behind him. Ray had risked a few glances behind him while examining his surroundings to read Yukiko's expression. All of her focus seemed to be directed at him. A few times their eyes met and he was always the first to turn awkwardly away. She was so blunt about it.

Ray felt a tapping on his shoulder and found Sophie staring at him with a concerned expression.

"Everything okay?"

Ray nodded. "Yeah, I'm good. Just a little on edge."

At that moment, Leilan alighted next to him and motioned for the group to stop with an outstretched hand. Everyone immediately went into defensive stances. For a time they stood in silence as the air seemed to constrict around them. The only sound was their even breathing.

Ray approached Leilan who was crouched next to the edge of the natural bridge they were crossing. He lowered himself next to her and followed her eyes to a tunnel below.

"You see something?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

Leilan gave him a disparaged look before answering, "Without a doubt. But it keeps slipping away into the shadows. Somehow."

She rose from her crouch and went to rejoin the others to warn them of whatever the creature was that skulked below. Just before Ray moved to follow her, he caught a slight movement in the tunnel below. It was such a modest shift of the air that Ray had to question his eyes for a moment. Then it happened again with another turn of his head. It seemed like a disturbance, a distortion in the air, like heat rising off of a blacktop in the summer heat. Leilan was right. Something was there. But how was it hiding its presence?

Ray returned to his comrades to relay what he had discovered. "Yeah, it's definitely down there."

Leilan turned to him in surprise while Yukiko crossed her arms unconvinced.

"Any idea what it is then?" Yukiko asked.

Ray shook his head. "No. It was just a shimmer. I think it might be using some sort of camouflage."

Their new Player comrade, Kurt, looked around uneasily at the stone. "So you mean it's like, using mimicry or something?"

"Could be," Ray reasoned.

The rest of the group noticed Yukiko's monster partner, Parvati, approach Bastet who was off to the side by herself sniffing the air with a stubborn intensity.

"What's the matter Bastet?" Parvati asked.

The others waited expectantly for Bastet's response.

Bastet gave them all a smirk. "No idea. I was doubting my nose before. But I'm absolutely sure now."

"Sure of what?" Leilan demanded in clear frustration.

"Well, there's a dragon somewhere around here," Bastet answered matter-of-factly.

At the conclusion of her statement, a heavy thud could be heard farther along the bridge and everyone turned towards the sound in time to see a puff of dirt float into the air as some unseen figure disturbed the stone. All around them, as if on cue, the sound of scuttling like picks digging into cement echoed all around the companions. The sound was everywhere.

Ray squinted his eyes at the ceiling and saw the same shimmering he had seen in the tunnel below. This time the disturbance in the air covered a much larger area and pulsed like frustrated waves of water.

Ray raised his wrist to give his database a clear view of the area, but the device made no indication that it was aware of the presence of any monsters.

"The database can't locate them," Yukiko said next to him as she lowered her own database.

The skittering halted and the dungeon returned once again to its former silence. The invisible monsters seemed to be sizing up their enemy and planning an offensive strategy before moving in. Ray wished that it were as easy to come up with a way to defend against an enemy that they could barely even see. Hell, they didn't even know what they looked like or what weaponry they packed.

Kurt leaned over to Bastet. "Um, any idea how many there are?" he stuttered.

Bastet shrugged at a loss. "Nope. Can't smell 'em."

"Oh great. That's just swell." Kurt tightened his grip on the double-edged axe he clutched in his trembling hands.

"We need to tighten our formation," Leilan urged them. "They are on the ceiling. We can't let them get behind us."

Everyone concurred with this statement and the allied monsters and Players entered a tightly-knit, circular formation.

As the group packed together, Ray noticed Sophie next to him and attempted to position himself in front of her without making it too noticeable. He recalled everyone's ridicule when he had broken the news that they would be bringing along a human who was without a monster partner. To the other Players, Sophie was just another vulnerable non-playable character in a game world. But Ray knew better. She was more than that. He had allowed her to join them (albeit grudgingly), and he couldn't help feeling she was his responsibility.

Ray felt a gentle nudge at his waist and found himself moving to the side as Sophie pushed next to him. She smiled at him knowingly and he turned his head away in embarrassment.

"I appreciate the gesture," she said. "But I made this choice. So I'll do my best."

Ray stared at her in disbelief as her soft expression transformed to one filled with determination as the rapid skuttling of the enemy monsters revived.

The rock bridge they stood on was wide enough to hold all of them standing next to each other, but it would prove to be a less than generous area to fight against an unknown number of hostile monsters.

The first strike came from somewhere not completely unexpected. It came from below. From the edge of the natural bridge a blade in the shape of a scimitar flickered to life and sliced where Bastet had been standing previously. As the blade cut through the air, the cat monster grabbed the flat of either side of the blade with her paws and drove it into the stone. The insect-like arm that held the blade went with it and the monster's shoulder drove into the side of the stone bridge. It let out a terrible shriek as its shoulder dislocated with a sharp crack. Bastet grinned and launched herself into a double kick that drove into the monster's face. It disappeared as it fell to the cavern floor below.

A double-edged axe swung above Bastet's head and connected with a satisfying thud as it drove into the chest of an unseen enemy that had attempted to strike at Bastet's blind side. The wielder of the axe leaned forward with a rebound attack and drove his knee into the monster, sending it off the side of the bridge to follow its other comrade.

Bastet glared at Kurt as he breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"You crazy?" Bastet shouted. "You could've sliced my head off!"

Kurt stuck his tongue out at her. "Yeah, you're welcome and all that!"

A sword cut into the empty air behind Kurt in much the same fashion as his axe and another of the insectoid monsters screamed in pain as its severed arm fell to the stone.

Kurt turned to the owner of the blade. Yukiko stared at him disapprovingly. "Not really a good time guys."

She set herself up next to them to prepare for the next imminent attack. Yukiko's words knocked the two feuding partners back into focus.

Nearby, Ray activated his barrier to enter puzzle mode just as one of the invisible monsters leaped forward with an overhead strike. Ray saw the satisfying, lime-green pulsing of the barrier as the enemy monster collided with it and was sent reeling backward through the air with the countering outward force. The monsters were weak, but their numbers were overwhelming.

Ray gave the board a quick once-over and moved to pick up an orb when a rumbling voice intruded upon his mind. Its powerful tone stayed Ray's hand and he felt his legs begin to go weak under him. It was as if the voice was weighing some huge mass on his head. No, it was a weight that flooded his mind like water flowing in an enclosed space.

"_You are certainly a strange one_," the voice growled with curiosity.

Ray clutched at his head to stifle the pain and the barrier dissipated against his will upon sensing his lack of focus. He unwillingly let out a cry as the voice pierced his mind.

"_I apologize for the distress I am enacting upon your mental state. The distance and the number of individuals is making it rather difficult to circumnavigate the data stream to pinpoint your exact being. But you will find that my assistance will preserve you and your friends."_

As the voice concluded its statement the pain melted away from Ray's mind. He clamped his eyes shut and gasped for air as he turned his face up to the ceiling. He couldn't put a reason as to why he was breathing so heavily, but his chest heaved as his air intake began to level. It almost felt like he was having one of the asthma attacks he had been unfortunate enough to experience in his own world.

His focus returned to his current situation and he noticed that everyone was standing around him to fight off the invisible enemy that poked and prodded against their circle formation. He didn't even notice Leilan standing next to him until she shook him roughly with a hand on his shoulder.

"Ray! Ray! What's wrong?"

Ray turned to her voice and he could see that she actually had an expression of concern on her face that he hadn't seen before. He moved to speak, but the words caught in his throat as the voice intruded on his thoughts again. It didn't hurt nearly as bad as the last time, but it still stung at the edge of his senses.

"_Reinforcements will be arriving. Your current stats and dormant intrinsic settings will not win you the day. You must retreat. I shall guide you."_

Ray nodded and spoke before he even had time to consider his response. "Okay. Show us the way."

Leilan stared at him quizzically as he seemed to speak to nobody at all. "Ray? What are you talking about?"

Ray stared at the opening to a tunnel at the end of the bridge that would be their destination. The shimmering of the invisible monsters stood in their way. It didn't seem like they would be able to cut through the enemy unless they broke formation.

But could he trust this voice? The situation didn't seem to be getting better where they were now. No matter how much he thought about it, it didn't seem like he would ever come to any sort of conclusion.

He remembered what Leilan said those days ago during the battle with Verche at the special dungeon in Demeter Forest. _"Don't think. Just act."_

So he did something that he usually didn't do when he had too much time to think. He went with his gut.

"We can't stay here," Ray announced.

Leilan followed Ray's gaze to the tunnel at the end of the bridge and grimaced at the violent distortion of the air that blocked their path. The circular formation was also moving inward as the camouflaged monsters increased in number.

"I have an idea," Ray said with a confidence that surprised him. "We need to change positions!" he shouted.

Many of them risked turning to him and looked as if they thought he was crazy.

He addressed Leilan and relayed his plan. "We need two players in the front who have active barriers so we can push the enemy back once they are activated. A monster needs to defend either side along the edges of the bridge while Sophie and another Player with a recharging barrier cover the rear. I'll need you in the air so that none of those things drop down from above to attack the formation on the inside. If the enemy breaches our formation we are in trouble."

Leilan's expression did not falter as Ray explained his strategy, but inwardly, she was absolutely amazed by this new confident Ray that issued orders like he had been doing it all his life. It seemed to come so naturally. Why wasn't he like this all the time? It was a sound plan.

Leilan simply responded to him with a nod and flew off to inform the god monsters of the plan. Ray moved to apprise his fellow Players. He first urged Sophie to take up the rear, who was reluctant at first to take a position of safety, until Ray informed her of how critical her role was and that no part of the formation was safer than another. He rushed over to Yukiko and Kurt so that Sophie wouldn't have to defend her position alone for too long.

Yukiko cut down another of the insect monsters and her display forced the other monsters to back up cautiously to reassess their assault on the dangerous female. Kurt's strikes were wild and lacked control, but each blow was devastating as his axe sent severed limbs and bodies over the bridge. No matter how many they killed more seemed to take their place. It was like cutting off the head of a hydra. It wasn't difficult to locate them due to the shimmering of the air, but the real challenge was keeping an eye out for where their limbs appeared when they were about to strike. Overall, the enemy didn't coordinate well.

Ray approached them during their break in the fight and explained his plan. Kurt's response was one of elation and he gave Ray a playful punch in the shoulder as he voiced his agreement. Yukiko eyed him warily but nodded her assent. As Ray made his way back to Sophie at the rear of the formation, he noticed that Parvati and Bastet were already assuming their roles to either side of the bridge while Leilan was in the midst of intercepting enemy monsters that attempted to drop down to attack the formation from within.

Once their Player barriers were ready, Yukiko and Kurt activated them. The monsters all around them, and, most importantly, the ones standing in the front, were launched backwards or were forced to retreat back of their own will. This gave the formation the opportunity to move forward before the enemy could reassume their position. Ray would switch positions with either Yukiko or Kurt and they would wait for both barriers to recharge so that the barriers covered the entire bridge in their area. Keeping at least one recharged barrier to the front in reserve ensured that any surprises could be dealt with at a moment's notice.

This same painstaking process continued, and they moved up little by little towards the cavern that promised an escape. Or at least, the voice in Ray's head had promised it.

As they approached the mouth of the cavern the voice spoke once again in Ray's mind, "_The rest of your journey will consist of winding tunnels and passages. The cat monster is aware of my presence. She will guide you."_

_ So it really is the dragon_, Ray thought. The fact he was putting his trust in a dragon was a little unnerving, but he wasn't sure of what stance dragons had in this world.

"Bastet!" Ray shouted.

Bastet struggled to slice at an enemy monster as fatigue began to settle in her muscles. She turned to him once she had finished off her opponent.

"Find the dragon!"

Bastet tilted her head for a moment. It only lasted a second as she realized how his plan had originated. It seemed like everyone else was beginning to catch on as well.

They maintained formation, but she would tell the Player closest to her in the front which direction to take in the maze of tunnels.

The tunnel was only about twenty feet high, making it difficult for Leilan to deal with the monsters crawling along the ceiling. Eventually, she opted to ground herself and take a position at the center of the formation. Soon Parvati and Leilan switched so Parvati could fire her trident at the insect monsters above at a more favorable angle. Her tiger, Solomondi, attacked viciously at any enemy that managed to dodge Parvati's streaks of light energy.

After turning down multiple tunnels, a strange shift in the tone of the fighting could be subconsciously felt. The scurrying of the insect monsters began to dissipate and the distortion of the air lessened. The companions relaxed themselves at the edge of some intersecting tunnels to catch their breath and rest their muscles. All in all, the battle had lasted nearly twenty minutes. Twenty minutes of practically non-stop combat. Twenty minutes of extreme mental focus and absurd physical endurance.

They rested for a good fifteen minutes while Solomondi kept a vigilant eye out for any hostile monsters. They then moved on in silence through the tunnels as Bastet lead them with her nose.

Kurt broke the silence, "Damn, those things just never ended. Wonder why they ran off."

"We might be getting close to the dragon," Bastet reasoned as she sniffed the air absentmindedly.

"What I'd like is some sort of explanation from Ray," Yukiko said.

The rest of them cast their gaze on Ray who was trailing behind with Sophie to the rear of the group.

Ray shrugged. He didn't see any reason to not tell them.

"The dragon that we are looking for, it spoke to me," Ray answered honestly.

The look of surprise was clear on the face of the two Players, but the monsters nodded in understanding.

"It makes sense," Parvati explained to Kurt and Yukiko. "Dragons communicate using telepathy. Though I am surprised that it decided to talk with Ray."

"But why would it help us?" Leilan wondered. "Furthermore, dragons are not supposed to be in this country."

Leilan went silent as they entered a massive cavern that was grander than any of the others they had witnessed in any dungeon thus far. From the ceiling were stalactites etched with a spiraling design with the shape of dewdrops at its ends. To the left stood a massive structure of rectangular stone that was easily as large as five or more buildings from the suburbs in Sarkast. Carved into the stone were the images of dragons in flight and combat. At the center of the chaos was a dragon with the design of a beautiful flower on its head and with what appeared to be butterfly wings growing from its back. Its legs like tree trunks stomped into the unseen ground and cracks branched off towards the nearest dragons in the mural.

Statues of great dragons stood in two lines to create a path leading up to the mural. The Players and monsters stared in wonder at the dozens upon dozens of intricately carved statues of the mighty dragons. Words were etched into the base of the statues in a language that was foreign to the Players.

Kurt couldn't suppress his excitement and rushed over to the first statue with Bastet in tow. The rest of the group trailed behind and continued to observe the expanse of the enormous cavern.

"What does this one say?" Kurt asked as he and Bastet observed a statue of a dragon that appeared to have some sort of shell on its back with icicle spikes protruding menacingly. The rest of its body was covered in spots upon its legs and sides with similar frost needles. Its claws and tail even appeared to be of giant ice shards.

Bastet read the engraving below it, "It says, _Glacialdragon Nilfheim. Loyal friend with an internal warmth to match the freeze of ice. _

They moved along the path formed by the statues that bordered on either side of them. The monsters read the placards of some of the statues aloud for the Players as they made their way to the rectangular structure that dominated the cavern: _Dark Sky Star Dragon Emperor, Defoud; Guardian Dragon, Avalon Drake; Omega Holy Skydragon, Shangri-La; Red Dragon God, Hino Kagatsuchi; Blue Stone Dragon, Mythril._ Dozens upon dozens of statues lined the pathway and all bore the names of dragons.

Kurt broke the silence, "This is incredible! So many dragons! Are all of these dragons from the original game really in this world too?"

"The statues are here," Yukiko said. "So I would imagine so."

Everyone, even the monsters, halted in their tracks upon seeing two statues that dominated the others in size that stood directly at the base of the rectangular structure. The Players knew these two monsters all too well. They were the dragons that all Players saw upon entering the original game for the first time.

"Holy..." Ray breathed as he took in the sight of the two magnificent statues of the dragons.

The first statue depicted a dragon standing on two powerful legs with elongated spikes protruding from its head reaching towards its back. Spikes jutted from its back and shoulders with hungry flames erupting all over and encompassing the dragon's form. It made a Tyranosaurus pale in comparison to its might. The statue of the dragon appeared to be letting out a mighty roar that would strike fear into any other dragon in its presence. The placard beneath the statue read: _Firedragon Grand Tyranos_.

The second statue was of a dragon in the shape of a serpent covered in smooth, overlapping scales. Dangerous blades jut from the sides of its body in the shape of scimitars. Even its head mounted blades similar to broadswords. Upon its back were grand wings. In the center of its body was a jewel akin to a sapphire and the dragon's eyes took on a similar hue. Its eyes held an intelligence and wisdom that exceeded that of other beings. The placard beneath this statue read: _Icedragon Depth Plesios._

Ray, Yukiko, and Kurt stood in silence for a considerable amount of time at a loss for words. Here were the statues that depicted two of the starter dragons from the original game from their world. They were the dragons that started it all.

A voice seemingly from everywhere woke them all from their reverie, "_It seems I have been receiving quite a number of guests these past few days."_

Everyone looked around the cavern in bewilderment to find the source of the voice. Finally, they all settled upon a massive crystal on the other side of the cavern that was previously invisible to them. Upon entering the dungeon, the Players had seen it as just another blended wall in the cavern. Now a pair of glowing red eyes appeared and brought forth the crystal's true appearance, a dragon.

_"I welcome you all to the Tomb of the Saint, the resting place of the Third Saint, Flowerdragon Gaia Brachys."_

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Teril Outskirts**

**In-Game Timer: Day 14**

**4:40 PM**

Verche landed next to an outcropping of rock that was densely covered on its east side to obscure him from the citizens that resided in the town of Teril. This was another town that felt uneasy with the presence of unfamiliar monsters; however, two monsters wandered the forests of the area to the east and to the north as protectors of the trading town. They were monsters that were not susceptible to the Reversion and were not particularly effected by the arrival of the Players in any direct way. This was beneficial. They would have eyes and ears on a particular area as he traveled across Pirugan, and nothing ever slipped by their vigilance.

This was proven when Verche heard a rough, muffled voice address him to his rear, "Identify yourself. You are marked."

Verche raised his hands slowly upon recognizing the voice. "I'm a little offended. Do you really not recognize my armor?"

He turned to see another knight wearing dark green armor wielding a weapon that was a mix between a lance and a halberd. The double blades at the end of the pole weapon were perhaps the size of a normal-sized individual. His face was hidden by an elaborate helmet. A brown checkered cape hung from his back where two scabbards were slung holding two broadswords.

The green knight lowered his weapon upon recognizing Verche, "It's been quite some time," he said simply.

"Too long Cu Chulainn," Verche agreed and he clasped the other knight's hand in a firm grip in greeting.

"My first guess is that you are here about the dark mystic knight activity in this area," Cu Chulainn ventured.

Verche nodded. "Indeed. I have encountered a number of them near Mercury Lake. They are more than just patrols."

"Aye. Siegfried and I have witnessed a number of battalions passing northwards over the past few days. All in the same direction."

"Any monsters leading them?"

Cu Chulainn shook his head. "No. No monsters worthy of note. Although we did meet with one of your Guardian friends just two days ago."

"Oh? And who might that be?"

"I'll give you an adjective. 'Stoic.'"

"Haku," Verche answered immediately.

"Bingo. I think we may have exchanged three sentences between us. Probably a new record, but she's as impassive as ever. But enough about that. I'll take you to Siegfried's position."

The two warriors moved off together deeper into the forest heading north. All the while they entered a more conversational tone as they discussed all the happenings they had missed in the few years they had been apart.

The area Siegfried resided in actually came as a surprise to Verche. The cliff that overlooked the squat canyon below was dangerously close to the northern border of the country. The country they currently inhabited was known as Fleren, while the country to the north was imply known as Dragon Territory.

But if Siegfried was here, then that meant the large forces of dark mystic knights that were passing through also hugged the forbidden territory lines as well.

As Cu Chulainn and Verche approached, the knight in blue, Siegfried, lifted his weapon, an absolutely massive sword with a blade nearly as thick as it was long (nearly his own height). He relaxed himself much the same as Cu Chulainn had with a response that was more gruff.

"Bah! Chulainn, make yourself known next time." He nodded a greeting to Verche as he assumed a more formal tone that didn't seem too natural. "Always a pleasure seeing you again Verche. Here for the show? You're right on time."

Siegfried gestured for the other two knights to lay beside him as they gazed out over the canyon. At first, there was nothing worthy of note, just the swirling sand and rock littered across the flat dirt. After a few minutes, towards the west side of the canyon, a mass of black, armored monsters appeared marching in a straight line formation. When the front line of soldiers entered the center of the canyon, Verche guessed that Cu Chulainn's numbers were correct. Even with the rest of the force still trickling into the canyon there was at least a battalion of them already. Verche estimated there were at least a good five hundred soldiers in the canyon.

"Where in the name of the gods are they coming from?" Verche wondered aloud.

Siegfried was about to answer when he motioned for Verche and Cu Chulainn to take cover behind a tall formation of rock to their side. The two other knights did so calmly with no wasted movement and a silence that would have seemed impossible given the bulky armor they wore.

On the opposite side of the canyon stood a tall, beautiful female monster adorned in bright-colored flowers and a flowing dress to match. Her long blonde hair blew in the wind as another monster, wearing much darker attire, alighted next to her and beat his wings to slow his swift descent.

Verche recognized the female monster. "Kali."

"That bitch," Siegfried muttered.

Cu Chulainn drew their attention away from Kali to the other monster beside her. "Any idea who that is?"

Siegfried and Verche shook their heads.

The other monster's hair was as long as Kali's, hanging far below the waistline, but was a dark gray and curly rather than straight. Verche could tell that the other monster was male due to his build, but his face was covered with some sort of plain porcelain mask. What was strange about this monster was its wings. There were eight of them, crimson with a dark red wave design. Two horns protruded from the monster's head in swirling arcs with a circlet resting upon its head. This monster was completely foreign to Verche.

"Five battalions in two days," Cu Chulainn commented as the male monster on the other side of the canyon took off again in the opposite direction.

"And more in the days prior," Siegfried added.

"An army," Verche finished.

The force of dark mystic knights disappeared into the mountains on the other side of the canyon. They were disappearing into Dragon Territory.

"That is a direct violation of the treaty," Siegfried said. "The Bestowal Treaty clearly states that no monsters or humans are to set foot in Dragon Territory."

"Then they are breaking the treaty," Verche said. "Can we not inform the dragons of this?"

"Not a chance," Cu Chulainn answered as he pushed himself off the rock to seat himself in a more comfortable position. "Dragons have broken off all contact. We would have to intrude upon Dragon Territory to inform them and that is an infraction in itself. It is a death sentence."

"Besides," Siegfried added. "The dragons are always watching over their territory. They should know about a force of this size. It is impossible for this many soldiers to go unnoticed."

"But this has been going on for days," Verche argued.

"True."

"Which means that there are some dragons letting them in."

"They are hiding them from the other dragons."

Verche pondered all of this. There could be no doubt that the dragons would know by now of such a sizeable force intruding upon their territory. They were very territorial and would not allow such an infraction of the treaty. He had no choice but to settle on the conclusion that they reached. There were dragons letting in an army of monsters upon their territory. But why? What was in it for them? What was the point?

"I know a dragon who is in neither dragon nor human territory," Verche said after his contemplation.

"Neither territory?" Cu Chulainn inquired.

"He resides in the neutral territory of the ocean. I must seek out the Second Saint, Plesios."

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Flint Peak**

**In-Game Timer: Day 14**

**4:42 PM **

The crystalline dragon remained motionless as Ray and the other Players took a few hesitant steps back towards the entrance of the cavern. Even the partner monsters could feel the sheer weight of the dragon's power pressing on their shoulders. Nevertheless, the monsters managed to hold their ground better than the Players who had no experience with dragons.

The voice of the dragon echoed in their heads and Ray felt the stinging pain once again. The dragon halted and Ray felt a lukewarm sensation melt over his mind like a protective membrane. Ray could feel it more than sense it. It felt like, concern?

"_I apologize Ray Andylon. I still do not have a grasp on your coding. I request that you steel your mind."_

Ray nodded more to himself than the dragon. When he looked up everyone's eyes were on him. They were a mix of emotions that were difficult for Ray to read. His eyes locked with Leilan who held an expression that Ray saw mirrored the dragon's. He couldn't help but be surprised by this due to her typical neutral nature.

Leilan spoke to the dragon to draw the attention away from Ray, "What do you call yourself dragon? And why are you in this country? Isn't it a direct violation of the treaty?"

"_I am known as the Dragon of Prospects, Prophet. As for the treaty, I am not bound by it. I am not one of the nation of dragons."_

"But you are a dragon."

_"Indeed. I am a physical manifestation of the Lady Overlook's direct interaction with the material coding of this world. My presence as a dragon resulted from a stray strand of coding during the upload process of the respawn system during a dragon's untimely demise."_

Leilan stared back at the other Players and monsters who just looked at each other baffled. The words of the dragon were just gibberish to them.

However, one Player spoke. One that was completely unexpected.

"He's saying that he is basically a byproduct of Lo," Kurt explained to the other Players who stared at him in astonishment. "Lo is usually not supposed to interfere with the coding that comprises the world itself. That isn't her duty as an AI for this world. She is supposed to just uphold the laws and collect data for the guys in our world to read. She basically disrupted some data and it put this guy together by accident."

Bastet's shoulders sagged and she placed her face in her paws as she shook her head in disbelief. Parvati seemed to be trying to form words but couldn't think of the right questions to ask. Leilan stood to the side with Ray and didn't bother to try and make sense of Kurt's explanation.

Kurt seemed offended by their reaction. "Hey, just because I didn't read the game guide doesn't mean I'm not smart. Geez."

"So if you really are a byproduct of Lo," Yukiko said, returning focus to the conversation. "Then do you have some of her abilities?"

"A good point," Kurt added.

"Kissass," Bastet muttered.

"Bastet, seriously?"

The dragon waited patiently for Bastet and Kurt to end their squabble. "_Indeed. I do retain some of her properties and functions."_

A thought occurred to Ray and he jumped in before anyone could speak. "So can you see what is going on in the world now?"

"_Indeed. The one who upholds the laws of this world must have eyes and ears everywhere. I have inherited this as well."_

This was good. Ray thought back to his conversation with Leilan and Verche. They had said that there was most likely some all-knowing entity on the side of the Legion that was helping them with intelligence. It was a decent hypothesis that explained how the enemy always knew their position. If this dragon was all-knowing concerning the goings on of the world then...

Ray's thoughts froze. The puzzle was beginning to come together. _This dragon and this unknown enemy were both all-knowing. The dragon was a byproduct of Lo who also had her eyes all over this world. Could it be..._

Ray brought his gaze to Leilan who had her arms crossed with a stern expression on her face as she considered the dragon's words. She finally sensed his gaze and turned her eyes downwards as she went back to her contemplation.

Ray wasn't sure if she was giving him the go-ahead to ask his question, but he knew that it was a risk. His next question would place an overwhelming amount of suspicion on him, and Yukiko certainly was already suspicious enough as it is.

He decided they couldn't keep going as they were. If Ray, Verche, and Leilan continued to harbor their secrets without the help of others then they could never win. It was time to take a gamble.

"You said there were other visitors before us. Who were they?"

"_The one who calls himself Hades, and his Player partner, Kaplin Bernat," _the dragon answered immediately.

Upon hearing the name of the Legion monster, Leilan visibly flinched. It was only for a tenth of a second, but even out of the corner of Ray's eye it was unmistakable. If just hearing the name of Hades was enough to instill some fear in Leilan then he didn't want to know what it was like in his presence.

Ray turned his attention back to the dragon. "What did he ask you?"

_"He inquired about a being that he calls the Abyssal. He wished to know if I was aware of its true intentions. Indeed this Abyssal is of concern to Lady Overlook due to the unnatural habitation of this being. However, due to the fact this Abyssal has not broken any laws, and has also disappeared into an unknown rift in the data stream, it is impossible for Lo to take any action against it."_

That was all Ray needed to know. His suspicions were now confirmed. Kurt's explanation, the all-knowing enemy of the Guardians that worked for the Legion, and the answers given to Hades about the Abyssal.

He turned to Leilan who waited expectantly. The eyes of the other Players and monsters were also directed upon him. This was where the turning point for their faith was. After this, he would have to explain everything, or he would lose what little trust he had in his new comrades.

He waited for Leilan's nod of confirmation. "Leilan, this Abyssal that is on the side of the Legion, I believe it is exactly the same as Lo."

Yukiko stepped forward and invaded Ray's space more than he felt comfortable with. She was mere inches from his face when she gave him a wry, knowing grin.

"So, guess you'll be giving your explanation now huh?"

Ray laughed nervously. "Yeah, I guess so."

He explained everything that he had learned up until that point. The war of the monsters, Takamura and the universal code, the unknown organization that wanted the code, everything. Leilan didn't interrupt him once during his story, and she didn't seem to be against his decision. This realization bid Ray further and he felt more confident telling his new friends all about how real the virtual world was.

During some points in the story, Yukiko and Kurt stared at their monster partners when Ray explained a detail that the monsters could have confided them with. Bastet and Parvati turned from them awkwardly at these motions. The two monsters explained that they thought the Players were participants in the world temporarily. They had no stance in the war and they just wished to become stronger with the help of the Players until they left. They were soon shocked to learn that the departure of the current Players in the future would not be the end. Millions of Players would follow soon after.

Kurt was the first to speak once he was able to collect himself after Ray's story, "Y'know, I always thought this world just felt too damn real. I mean, the sound of my feet hitting the rocks in the cavern, the air, and..." He gestured to the monsters that stood with them. "All of our new friends."

Yukiko nodded her agreement. "My sword cutting through the air feels exactly the same as in my world. Maybe even better. I just can't see how technology, no matter how amazing, can possibly mimic that sort of feeling. I don't believe in that."

"So if this Abyssal is the same as Lo then-"

"It's safe to say that it is also an AI," Ray finished for Kurt.

"But why the hell would it be here?" Bastet's outburst caught everyone by surprise. "We already have Lo! Why is it here?"

"Well, it would probably have to do with these bad people that were after Takamura right?" Parvati ventured.

Bastet glared at her. "Right, I knew that."

"Just like Lo huh," Leilan said thoughtfully.

"And who created Lo?" Kurt announced knowing full well the answer.

"Thomas Malkin." Ray answered.


	15. Chapter 14- Masked Ones

"_The blades of these brazen fools are still more deadly than those spoiled in comfortable incompetence." -Mal Saf on __Pirugan Militias_

**Chapter 14-Masked Ones**

**Seattle, Washington**

**United States**

**May 26, 2020**

**Real World Time- 2:48 AM**

The Gamemaster sat forward in his seat at the head of the control room as he watched with fascination as a group of Players in a dungeon brilliantly fought off hoards of seemingly invisible enemies. The enemy didn't seem to end. The Players and their monster partners formed a strong circular formation and used the force of the Player barriers in their puzzle modes to make their way across the natural stone bridge of the dungeon. The Gamemaster switched cameras to follow the Players as they made their way through winding caverns while fending off their pursuers. After a few more minutes passed, they seemed to be in the clear and the enemy monsters backed off. The whole display was so exciting! It was non-stop action for the viewers in the real world to sate their appetite. It was a great way to wind down the evening for all those viewers out there with the nocturnal genes.

He turned his attention to one of the ten other monitors at his station and accessed some of the main cameras to see what other Players were doing around the major cities. The secondary cameras didn't reveal anything particularly interesting save for a few conversations about a new guild being formed called the Grand Hunters. By opening up the Player profiles of these individuals in conversation, he saw that they were of a fairly high rank. It could be interesting if the guild gathered some competent members.

Before he could check in with the goings-ons around Sarkast, one of his monitors issued an alert about a camera that he had on standby. He moved back to the camera in Flint Peak as the Players and monsters seemed to be fully rested and moved on through the tunnels. He pulled up their Player profiles and read off their names: Ray Andylon, Yukiko Kazehaya, and Kurtis Braxton. He added the three Players to his own list of favorites in the Puzzle and Dragons Viewer app. He hoped that these three stuck around for a good while. They worked well together.

The Gamemaster was taken off guard seconds later as he attempted to shift cameras into what appeared to be a cavern that the Players entered. An error message appeared that read: _Error: Source Not Available._ He frowned at this and assumed it was a glitch. He decided to switch to the camera that provided free movement. He moved the camera forward to enter the dark cavern the Players had entered but found that the camera froze in place.

"Dah hell?" he muttered in irritation.

He refreshed the camera and moved it back with his keyboard. It moved backwards at his bidding. He pressed the forward arrow key and, once again, the camera froze and refused to pass through the threshold. The Players were now long gone and nothing could be seen beyond the darkness.

The Gamemaster was about to run some troubleshoots to discern the problem when the door to the control center opened and in walked a familiar face. He was a middle-aged man with graying hair and a dominating appearance that could gain the attention of anyone in his presence.

The young men and women at the other stations working under the Gamemaster gave the newcomer a respectful nod before returning to their work. Even the Gamemaster rose from his seat as the man approached him.

The Gamemaster gave him a friendly nod that masked his exhaustion. "Good to see you Mr. Malkin."

The CEO of Future Artificial Networking, Thomas Malkin, shook the Gamemaster's hand in greeting. The heaviness under his eyes was obvious, but he still managed to retain a confident smile as he spoke. "Good to see you too Zack. Anything to report?"

The Gamemaster shrugged and sat back down at his station and pulled up a few cameras that involved Players of interest. "I've managed to get a grasp on some of the Players I think will really draw the viewers in. Also found a couple of glitches that I'll send to some of the guys downstairs tonight."

Malkin laughed. "Do you even realize what time it is?"

The Gamemaster's face clearly showed that he didn't. He minimized the views of the cameras on one of his monitors and his eyes widened.

"Heh. No wonder I feel like passing out. I'm getting in too deep."

"That's the real reason I came up here. To tell you to get the hell to bed." Malkin laughed again and the Gamemaster, Zack, joined in with good nature.

As Malkin scanned over the monitors he pointed to one that piqued his interest. "Who are they?"

The Gamemaster used his mouse to zoom in with the camera in question to reveal a group of masked individuals standing together in a copse of trees. Next to these Players were monsters standing off to the side analyzing their surroundings or in heated discussion. What was strange about these Players was that their white masks were fairly similar save for the strange, unique designs on one half that separated them from the others.

"Do you mind if I listen in?" Malkin asked with clear interest. "I've spent all day cleaning up someone's mess and I could use some entertainment."

The Gamemaster knew what Malkin was referring to. "Still having a problem with Kurosaki's dilemma?"

"Yeah."

Malkin and the Gamemaster had become close friends over the course of the development of the PADW project. Even though the Gamemaster was in the entertainment sector, he and Malkin worked closely together since Lo, Malkin's artificial intelligence, would be relaying some of the information gathered directly to the entertainment sector's control area. In passing, Malkin had mentioned the problem with the universal code for the game world and how it was currently out of their reach. The Gamemaster still wasn't sure if it was the wisest course of action to let such information slip, but he was honored that Malkin had deemed him worthy of being in the loop with events outside his sector. He promised to not pass word to anyone else, and Malkin seemed satisfied.

"But yeah go ahead." The Gamemaster offered his seat to Malkin as he stood up. "I'm gonna catch a few hours hopefully. Sitting in front of a screen all day doesn't help, but I'll see what I can do." He chuckled as he made his way to the sliding security door at the back of the control center.

After the door confirmed his hand print and numerical code he was admitted from the room.

Thomas Malkin surveyed the rest of the control center with the Gamemaster's departure and analyzed the other workers typing diligently at their consoles. Malkin had to admit that he was impressed with the results of their efforts. Hundreds of millions would be viewing the virtual world by the end of the week thanks to their efforts.

Malkin zoomed in on the masked Players and their monsters as the arguing began to intensify. He increased the volume just enough so that he could hear what the argument entailed.

Malkin first heard the masked Player on the right, "This is stupid. We should be moving in on the capital city by now. Sarkast is already a lost cause. What is the point?"

The Player on the left seemed to be in more control of her emotions than her male companion. "We need to discern the intentions of the Players in this area before we can move west. It doesn't matter whether we head for Fluorestris now or later. The Grand Hunters have made their intentions clear and we can do nothing to sway other Players with our differing goals."

The female Player's monster, who stood off to the side leaning against an outcropping of rock, spoke up next to add weight to her Player's argument, "She speaks truthfully. The Grand Hunters seem to be in line with the goals of the Guardian monsters. We can do nothing to sway them."

"Then why the hell are we bothering with Ray Andylon? Sure, he and the boss are the only ones with two monsters right now, but look at his rank. It's pathetic! He has a second monster by dumb luck! Both of his monsters are also a part of the Guardians. Why are we even bothering?"

"That does pique my interest," the female Player answered. "Erenheim does seem to have a particular interest in the trio that entered Flint Peak. I will question him about that later. But for now, we wait patiently."

The disgruntled male Player seemed finished with the conversation and waved the other Player off dismissively and strode into the forest with his monster partner following closely behind.

When it seemed as if nothing more of interest was forthcoming, Malkin minimized the camera and turned off the sound. He opened up the Player search engine and typed in Ray Andylon's name. After a few seconds a camera revealed a male Player with a female monster wielding a halberd heading for the exit of the dungeon within Flint Peak. Two more Players, two monsters, and what appeared to be a non-playable character followed behind them.

Malkin opened up all of the Player profiles to see what the masked Players meant about their rankings. When he reached Ray Andylon's profile he began to understand what they meant about him being a low rank. Most of the Players in the virtual world had rankings well over a thousand. The original Puzzle and Dragons game had been around for nearly a decade so it made sense that Players would be well into the thousands by now. However, Ray Andylon was a different story. Ray Andylon's rank had just barely surpassed six hundred.

Why would a Player with such a low rank be invited to test the new game?

Malkin decided he would look into this a bit more when he had the time. The masked ones were also an interesting group. There was still much to learn about this new world.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Flint Peak**

**In-Game Timer: Day 14**

**5:10 PM**

Ray and his comrades finally saw the exit to the dungeon within Flint Peak as they rounded a familiar bend in a widening tunnel. A purplish glow emanated from thin carvings in the rock that indicated the doorway to the outside that was once used as an entrance. Ray could practically sense the relief coming from his comrades.

They had been given a considerable amount of time to ponder after the meeting with the _supposed_ dragon known as Prophet: The Abyssal, Thomas Malkin, the Legion monsters, it was all so much to take in, not to mention the fact that Yukiko and Kurt were now aware of how dire the situation was. Ray felt it wouldn't be too long before other Players began to figure out what was going on with the virtual world. If they did find out, which stance would they take concerning the war of the monsters? Ray felt he could trust Yukiko and Kurt to some degree, but he wasn't sure about the other Players.

They all walked through the dungeon in silence after the discussion with Prophet (and after Sophie had respectfully asked to harvest some of the ores in the cavern). There was no need for discussion when it came to their suspicions about Malkin and his malicious AI hiding somewhere in the data stream. Even though Malkin was the main suspect, they had no way of proving that he was a part of the organization that had been hunting Takamura for the universal code. Furthermore, even though the AI known as the Abyssal was similar to Lo, how could they know if it was really Malkin who had created it and placed it in the virtual world? Could someone else be capable of creating an AI like Lo? It was entirely possible. Without evidence there was no way Ray and the others had any chance of exposing anybody, and jumping to conclusions and posing accusations in the real world would just get them booted from the virtual world where they were needed the most. All they could do now was wait and continue as they had been from the start.

But if the Abyssal was hiding, then what exactly was it waiting for? What was it plotting?

Ray nearly walked into the stone door of the dungeon as he was lost in his thoughts. A tap on his shoulder woke him from his reverie and he turned to see Sophie smiling at him but with a look of concern in her eyes. Ray nodded to her appreciatively and to indicate that he was alright. He pushed the stone door open and they were all temporarily blinded by the bright orange of the setting sun.

As their eyes adjusted to the world outside, they froze as five individuals came into focus near the outskirts of the forest at the base of Flint Peak. Two of them were Players who wore white masks with a strange design to one side in black ink. One of the Players had his arms crossed and stood off to the side with his short messy blonde hair blowing in the evening breeze. The second one stood with his hands on his hips unmoving as he observed the Players, monsters, and NPC that exited the dungeon.

Next to the blonde Player stood a monster with a monstrous scythe mounted behind him with a carving of a three-headed dog etched into the metal. His bone-like mask-of-a-face made it impossible to read his expression beneath the hood that covered his head. The ominous black cloak he wore that blew in the breeze gave him an intimidating appearance.

Two monsters flanked either side of the other Player: one wearing a heavy-looking cloak and hood laced with fine gold silk and black cloth, while the other wore a violet coat outlined with thick animal fur. A crazed grin was splayed over the monster's face with the purple coat, and the top half of his head was covered by a wild helmet of similar color with a matching visor that covered his eyes.

For a short time, both sides stood motionless and mute until the masked individual with the two monsters let his arms hang loosely at his sides in a non-threatening posture. He strode forward and the other Player and monsters followed suit until they were merely ten feet from Ray and his companions.

The masked one extended his arms to his sides in a gesture of greeting. "Well met fellow Players. You have put on an impressive display. Normally it takes a full team of Players to complete a dungeon like that at this level. Well done."

The enthusiastic greeting took Ray and the others off guard and they found themselves at a loss for words.

Ray glanced over to Leilan who stood beside him for guidance. He practically choked as he saw the look of plain apprehension on Leilan's face. Her eyes quivered and he could see that her hands were shaking slightly. It wouldn't have been so noticeable if Ray hadn't been focused on her.

Ray followed her eyes and realized she was looking at the hooded figure in black with the bone face. Now that the hooded monster was closer, he could see the yellow eyes underneath with the ink designs. His eyes were also locked on Leilan.

The voice of the masked Player tore him away from the silent exchange. "Ray Andylon I presume?"

Ray turned his attention to the masked Player. "Yes, that would be me. And you are?"

The masked Player bowed. "Ah, of course. Where are my manners? My name is Erenheim." He gestured to the other Player. "And this is my second-in-command, Kaplin."

The Player named Kaplin gave them all a slight, barely discernible nod.

Erenheim gave a soft chuckle. "I'm afraid he isn't much of a conversationalist. But enough of the pleasantries. I'm sure you would like an explanation for why we were waiting for you. I suppose that much is obvious."

"Yeah that would be a start," Yukiko spoke up with a bit of force and impatience.

The masked one named Erenheim seemed to regard her with some appreciation. "You have spirit. You are the no-nonsense type. I like that. Very well. I will oblige."

He typed in his passcode into the database on his wrist and opened a file under one of his custom tabs. The words "Depths Legion" appeared as a hologram in front of him. He waited a few seconds for the name of the guild to sink in.

Ray felt a shiver run down his spine. He had assumed they were the enemy monsters judging from Leilan's reaction, but seeing it for himself was a different story. Two enemy Players stood before them along with three Legion monsters. Ray recognized Hades and Beelzebub as he recalled his time playing the app game on his phone, but the other one was a mystery to him. Perhaps it was a new monster unique to this world.

The only reaction from Yukiko was the narrowing of her eyes. Kurt clenched his fists and glared at the members of the new guild known as Depths Legion.

Erenheim spoke when it became apparent that the members of the Guardians would not humor him. "Normally I would extend an invitation for you all to join Depths Legion, but I believe I already know what your answer is."

"Yeah, pretty much," Kurt said for his friends.

Erenheim shrugged. "A pity all the same. This meeting of ours is only to confirm your stance on the war. I am inclined to believe everything is assumption until proven otherwise. I thank you for your confirmation."

Erenheim waved his hand to his right-hand man Kaplin to indicate their departure. Kaplin nodded his assent and began to make his way back to the forest after giving the other Players and monsters a curt nod. His monster partner, Hades, did not follow immediately.

Erenheim stared at Hades for a moment in puzzlement before saying his farewell. "I bid you all a good day," he said. "Our next meeting will not be on such, well, kind terms. We will meet again as enemies." He turned his attention to Ray specifically. "I look forward to your continued success. You are so very close to having a full team of monsters."

Ray froze. "What are you talking about? It takes five monsters to have a full team."

Erenheim tilted his head in confusion. "Oh? You didn't know? There was a special meeting after we underwent our intrinsic scans in the real world describing some of the finer details of this world."

Ray thought back to his conversation with his friend Keiichi. It was during the time when the equipment for the intrinsic scans malfunctioned and delayed him from attending the meeting.

"Had some trouble with my intrinsic scans," Ray answered. " I got a little held up."

Erenheim laughed. "Oh my! Then you are certainly in for a treat. Well, yes, you are correct about a full team being five monsters in the original game. However, a full team of monsters in this world is only three."

Ray's mouth nearly fell open at this news. Only three monsters? That meant he only needed one more and then...

Ray could feel the smile splayed out on Erenheim's face with his next words, "I look forward to seeing you on the battlefield Ray Andylon." He then added, "I enjoy a challenge."

With those last words he gave them a swift bow and motioned for his monsters to follow him into the forest behind Kaplin.

Ray noticed that Hades had still opted to stay behind for a short time. Hades gave them a once over before turning his attention to Leilan.

"Persephone is still a little sore about your last encounter," he said offhandedly. "She looks forward to a rematch."

Leilan managed to stop her body from trembling and expelled the stutter from her voice, "Tell her the feeling is mutual, but the result will still be the same."

Hades was silent for a time as he interpreted her words. Finally, his body relaxed as he accepted the answer and left without another word.

Ray, Yukiko, Kurt, Leilan, Bastet, Parvati, and Sophie stood at the base of Flint Peak for a short time after the enemy monsters and Players disappeared from sight. An aura seemed to emanate from the Players and monsters of Depths Legion. It was a killing aura. It was a merciless aura.

The mood had been grim before, but now it was deepened by the knowledge of even more ominous events on the horizon. They were events that would escalate to total war.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Sarkast**

**In-Game Timer: Day 15**

**6:00 AM**

Ray finished the last of his inventory check as he made his way down the steps outside of his home in Sarkast. It was surprising how he actually considered it as a home. He had only been in the virtual world for a little over two weeks (in-game time of course), but he already felt that he belonged.

He gazed at the new armor attached to his database. Upon their return from Flint Peak, Sophie had insisted that she use some of the ores she harvested to enhance his defenses even further. His pauldrons felt slightly heavier, but it was barely noticeable and would not be cumbersome in battle. Sophie had even mended their shape to fit his shoulders more comfortably.

_"You make sure you come visit every once in a while now. Okay? Bring me whatever you find and I'll make you the best in all Pirugan."_

Ray smiled as he thought back on Sophie's words as they separated the night before. He was sorry he had ever doubted her. She was a good girl and a fine smith. He made it a note to return.

Leilan and Verche were already set to head out. The discussion with Verche after returning from Flint Peak had made the mood even worse the night previous if that were possible. The news that a massive of army was being built in Dragon Territory signaled that Depths Legion was going to take the war to a whole new level. It indicated that their goal really was complete dominion over the whole Pirugan continent. It was just as Verche and Leilan had feared.

Ray's somber thoughts melted away as he saw Yukiko and Kurt approach with Bastet and Parvati from a short ways down the street. He wasn't alone in this war anymore. Sure, he had Leilan and Verche, and he couldn't ask for better company, but having people from his own world that he could trust mended his sense of insecurity.

Ray and his monster partners met their comrades halfway down the street and they stood silent for a time appreciating each other's company.

"So, are we just going to stand around staring at each other like lovers or are we going to get going?" Bastet said in her typical demeaning tone.

They all merely smiled. All of them.

"We head for the coast then," Verche said. "We must find Plesios and warn him of the army that sits within the borders of his homeland."

"We should also stop in Fluorestris on the way," Yukiko added. "The Grand Hunters have established their main headquarters there. If we join up, we will have access to a vast information network and reliable contacts."

Leilan turned her attention to Parvati and Bastet. "So, what have you both decided?"

Leilan had asked them the night before upon their return to Sarkast what their stance would be in the war. Up until now, they had been content with a neutral stance and to let the Guardian and Legion monsters battle it out. But now, it seemed there would be no sitting on the sidelines for them.

Bastet crossed her arms roughly. "I don't plan on joining you Guardians or whatever. But I won't let these Legion guys start a war. I'm in."

"I am as well," Parvati assented as if the answer was obvious.

"Things are going to get a little crazy," Kurt chimed in as he rested his hands behind his head. "War huh. Well shit."

Ray grinned. Even with their differing personalities they still managed to mesh well as a team. Even Bastet and Yukiko seemed to have warmed up in their company.

"Time to head out."

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Fissure of Blades**

**In-Game Timer: Day 15**

**6:00 AM**

Hades walked to the side of the group as they made their way to the dangerous Fissure of Blades.

The fissure received its name during the First War back during the times when dragons occupied the country of Flerin that was now home to and ruled by humans. It was said that a great dragon of immeasurable power had created the fissure during the battle and most of the forces on each side fell into its depths. It is called the Fissure of Blades due to all of the weapons of the fallen warriors being consumed by the fissure.

There were now four Players of Depths Legion in the group along with the five other monsters. Among the monsters were Beelzebub, Hades, Lucifer, and two other monsters who were mostly unknown even to Hades.

The first new monster, a rather repulsive looking creature with long gray hair, stiff black wings, and four layers of teeth introduced himself as Senoy. The monster's black armor consisted of dozens of rivets with lines of thin, rounded nodules like veins. The second monster was more reserved and hadn't spoken a word since their meeting. He seemed to keep to himself within the hood of his gold-rimmed, silk cloak.

The group approached the edge of the Fissure of Blades. Their leader, Erenheim, was the first to approach the wooden drawbridge. On the other side was the ruins of what had once been a massive fortress. All that remained was a pair of crumbling stone spires and the skeletons of smaller dwellings that might have been barracks. The rusted chains of the bridge were long unusable and the bridge was now permanently lowered for any traveler to pass through.

Erenheim rapped on the metal of the bridge with his knuckles and a dull echo responded.

"Heh, a bridge of caricthmian metal. Probably back when it was in abundance. Such a waste."

As Ereneheim made his way across the bridge, his Player underlings followed with their monster partners in silence until Beelzebub spoke up.

"So, Leilan is looking as fine as ever."

The other Players and monsters ignored him as they continued on.

"Seriously, a could look at those legs all day. Could just eat off them. Got a nice pair to stare at too. Heh heh."

One of the male Players towards the front of the group turned to Beelzebub in irritation. "Should've known this quiet would be short-lived. Does this guy ever shut up?"

Beelzebub pretended to not hear him. "But they don't compare to Perspehone's. Seriously, I'd like to just take them and put my face-"

Beelzebub was cut short as he was grabbed roughly by the collar of his fur coat. Beelzebub now found himself teetering just off the edge of the bridge that beheld the maw of the fissure with the teeth of blades hidden below. The sudden interruption startled him for a moment, but he grinned as he saw that his comments had touched a nerve with a certain monster.

Beelzebub's eyes met the hateful glare of Hades. Beelzebub could see the quivering anger on Hades' bone-like face as his hand clenched the collar of the coat tighter.

"Oh my. Was it something I said?" Beelzebub jeered. He laughed as the grip on his coat stiffened once again until it began to cut off his air supply.

"Do not include Persephone in your twisted perversions Beelzebub. Bite your tongue if you must. If I ever hear you utter Persephone's name again I will cut out that tongue for you."

Beelzebub laughed hysterically at the rare fury from Hades. "You know Hades, we can't fight each other. There are rules we can't break. Besides, we are stuck working tog-"

Beelzebub halted his reasoning as the blade of Hades' scythe suddenly rested against his throat. He swallowed involuntarily as the sharp blade pressed against the soft flesh of his neck. However, his grin did not waver.

"You and I do not walk the same path," Hades corrected him with venom in his voice. "Our paths merely run parallel. You can be sure that when our business is over, if our paths should ever converge, I will cut you limb for limb, starting with your smallest parts. I will be the first to ever make you scream."

Hades shifted his hand from Beelzebub's collar to his neck and now held him over the pit of the fissure. "The blades below are not subject to the laws of the Creators. Shall we test my theory?"

"Haha! I can't die you fool!"

"Perhaps, but I'm sure it will be painful enough to satisfy me."

Beelzebub's smile finally vanished at this and he found himself scrambling to form words.

He was only saved by the interjection of Erenheim who had been watching off to the side with the other Players and monsters patiently.

"At ease Hades," he said calmly. His speech was not in the form of an order, but was uttered in the tone of a respectful request.

Hades only considered releasing Beelzebub when his Player partner, Kaplin, rested a hand on his shoulder and shook his head slowly. Hades flung Beelzebub onto the edge of the bridge and stepped over his choking form.

Erenheim shook his head in exasperation as Beelzebub rose to his feet massaging his throat. One could see Hades' grip by the growing red spot on his violet skin. He spat out a stream of curses under his breath and shoved past Erenheim to follow the rest of the group.

Erenheim looked to his other monster partner who was still hidden beneath the hood of its cloak.

Erenheim shrugged. "Don't worry. It's only temporary. In due time."

He gestured for the monster to follow. It was a long trip to the capital city, and he wanted to make sure they arrived well before the other Players and monsters that were still making their way from the east of Pirugan.


	16. Chapter 15- POI

**A/N: At long last a new chapter of the story is available. Some of the content in this chapter was going to be a part of the next one, but I ended up rearranging some of the info since it came together better this way. A couple of additions and deletions of this one changed the whole process around, which is certainly not a bad thing. **

**And as always, feel free to send me PMs. I get to them within 48 hours, but usually 24. **

* * *

_"The individual is the site of intertextuality. The connotations of virtual and real are becoming blurred. The result involves a stressed interrelationship." -Rick Moore_

**Chapter 15- P.O.I.**

**The Real World**

**Location Unknown **

**May 26, 2020**

**Real World Time- 8:17 AM**

Terrance crumpled under another blow from his assailant. He tried to move his head along with the punch to cushion the blow, but it was practically impossible to tell when the next strike would arrive since one of his eyes had been swelled shut from the previous beatings a few hours before. He instinctively felt along the inside of his mouth with his tongue and caressed the soft tissue of his damaged gums where a couple of his teeth screamed to fall out. It didn't hurt, probably too much blood buildup. His tongue was numb like he had seared it with an overheated cup of coffee.

The next blow was a blur and he didn't even realize he had been punched until he regained a part of his vision to see the cold gray cement of the floor. He was starting to miss the sensation of just allowing his head to loll back so his eyes could stare at the fluorescent lighting. The netted metal that protected the lights reminded him that he was a prisoner though. If he got punched again he might be able to cancel out the grim colors. Light was good at doing that.

_Go ahead. Punch me again asshole, _he thought blearily. He spit out a glob of blood as if he had said the words aloud.

His assailant seemed to understand the meaning behind it and gave him another fist to the face that made everything go dark for a few seconds. Or maybe it was minutes. Terrance couldn't be sure.

He fought to remember the details of the car ride after the chase from the bar with his friend Paul. _We took fifteen right turns and eighteen left turns, _he recalled. He went through the process of putting them back in order and found that each time was the same recollection. He then recalled the finer details now that the important parts were out of the way. He attributed every bit of the drive after the turns with descriptions of the roads. He remembered the bouncing gravel underneath the SUV he was held in after the thirteenth left turn and any other information regarding the roads traveled. The last bit of detail he attributed to the time spent on straightaways. There were too many turns to get this down perfectly, but he felt that his estimations would be accurate enough.

_Dammit Paul_, Terrance grieved for his dead friend.

He felt a cold sensation flow over his body like his bones had been fitted with blocks of ice. He gasped as the water poured over him and left him shivering in his chair. He reflexively worked at the bindings that clasped his wrists together.

"Ah ah ah. I wouldn't keep doing that if I were you."

Terrance looked up to see a masked individual wagging a finger at him like he was a boy who had been caught stealing. The man in the mask tilted his head to the metal door behind him and another masked individual exited the room. The metal door clanged shut and the clank of a latch could be heard from the other side.

The masked man pulled up a chair in front of Terrance and sat back lazily. He loosened the tie of his sports coat and crossed his legs to assume a more comfortable position.

The man clasped his hands and leaned forward so that he was mere inches from Terrance's tortured face. He cocked his head to the side as if he were considering what hurt Terrance more: the bloated flesh covering his one eye, or perhaps the many holes littering the inside of his bloodied mouth.

The man sighed and spoke in a cheerful voice, "Now listen here Terrance. We've had some good fun. Actually, I'll admit, I've had an absolute blast. But my employer is getting impatient. And so far you haven't given us a damn thing. I commend you for your balls. Many men don't have them nowadays. A damn shame you had to be on the wrong side of the fence with this."

He reached into the inside pocket of his sports coat and fished out a crumpled slip of paper. He unfolded it and flicked the parchment with his finger in Terrance's face. Terrance flinched instinctively.

"Focus mah man. Focus. You know this letter right? Wait, nevermind, you don't. This was meant for your other friend, Carmen I think his name was. We intercepted it before it could get to him. Sorry about that. But you know who it's from right? Takamura. Ring a bell?"

Terrance hacked up another clump of blood as he heard the name. Takamura. Terrance didn't blame him for what was happening. Who would have thought that the people pursuing him would be able to intercept a letter? A letter of all things in this day and age. The organization trailing behind Takamura even had their influence over the goddamm postal system? Did they check every single letter that went through or something? How in the hell did they...

Terrance shook his head. "I-I don't know-"

Terrance's cheek stung and his head whipped to the side as the masked man backhanded him across the face.

The man sighed heavily as Terrance worked to regain his bearings. Whatever bearings he had left to work with.

"Terrance...Jesus man. Props I tell yah. Mad props. But seriously, you are really starting to piss me off."

Terrance didn't hear him.

A series of low beeps sounded and the masked man's breast pocket vibrated. He reached into the pocket and pulled out his cellphone. When he saw the caller ID he chuckled to himself and put the phone to his ear.

"Better be good. I'm in the middle of something."

The voice on the other end spoke in a calm, professional tone, "It's about that Moore guy."

"Oh my, is that so?" the man answered with a clear lack of interest.

"Seems he was in Seattle in the building for the PADW project. Went under the name of Simon Torman in the IT department. He figured out some things and he might have been poking around."

The masked man chuckled humorlessly. "Well isn't that just grand. What did he figure out pray tell?"

The other man's voice was muffled for a short time as he turned from the phone to address another individual. His voice cleared as he returned his attention back to the call. "For one thing, he figured out someone messed around with that one Player's character selection thing."

"Which Player was that?"

"One of those SSSs. Ray Anderson or something. Our employer said he might be a problem."

The masked man let out a low whistle. "Well damn. Oh well. What can yah do I guess. Try and figure out what our friend Moore was up to over there. I doubt he left empty-handed."

"Got it boss."

The masked man closed the phone and slipped it back into his pocket. He sat back down in his chair and flicked Terrance on the forehead to keep him from drifting off.

"Just got off the phone with one of my boys. Says that your friend Rick has been snooping around and causing some trouble for us. Now we can't have that. Any idea what that's all about?"

Terrance shook his head violently without a word. His throat felt dry and all he could let out was a low croak. His tongue reached to the side of his mouth to retrieve the water that dripped down his face. He really wished he had ordered a glass of water at the bar earlier instead of a beer.

"Greedy aren't yah? We just gave you some water. Ah well. I'll believe you on that one. Rick didn't have many friends after all."

He rose from his seat even though he had recently sat down. He flexed his fingers and eyed Terrance up and down as if he were analyzing some magnificent science experiment.

"Well, think I better let you cool your head a bit. If I jostle your head around too much then it will be impossible for you to think. Only natural I guess. Need to let the brain vibrate on its own to get the cells flowing. Something I read online once. Can't believe everything you read on there though."

He left Terrance with a quick wave as if he were seeing off an old friend and knocked on the metal door. The latch on the other side slid out and opened with a groan to release the man from the room.

When the door closed the lights shut off with it. Terrance sat in the darkness shivering as he went to work on the wire that bound his hands to the chair. He felt his wrists move a little more than they had before.

_Just a little more, _Terrance thought desperately. _Just a little more. _

He had to contact Emily and Rick.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Fluorestris (Outskirts)**

**In-Game Timer: Day 20**

**12:23 PM**

Ray strode calmly with even steps down the dirt road as the two men on horseback circled around him, their horses kicking up plumes of dirt and rock. The men barked orders for him to halt, but he only acknowledged them with a sideways glance. It wasn't until one of the men blocked his path that he stopped. Ray hadn't even drawn his weapon.

The men wore a scattered disarray of armor consisting of leather and makeshift helms of iron. Their crude outfits only added to their unpleasant appearances. One of the men even looked like he had just finished his morning at the tavern.

The drunken man lowered himself off his horse with the grace of an ogre and stumbled up to Ray while maintaining a safe distance outside of a long sword's reach. As he approached, Ray could pick out several other men hiding in the brush to either side of the road. Some emerged with weapons drawn and crossbows leveled.

The second man, who appeared to be the leader from his dominant tone, stepped up next to the first man with a grin splayed over his face. He ran a hand through his thick, disheveled beard as he analyzed Ray like a fresh kill.

"Well well, what do we have here? A Player with no monster to escort him."

Ray stared at the man expressionless.

The man spit on the ground at Ray's feet. "You Players think you're all tough. But without your monsters, you're just like the rest of us. Human. Word is you Players can't die. You just come back ready to go. Doesn't matter once we have your coin though."

Ray reached behind him slowly and drew his katana from its sheath. After the work Sophie had put into his equipment, it drew forth silently and with a blade like a cold, biting wind. The smiles vanished from the faces of the men as they eyed the blade warily. Their expressions showed they were unsure of just how human these Players really were.

Ray made a few quick glances to the surrounding forest and the foliage that provided cover. He tapped into his inlaid talent for perception and the area in a small radius around him sharpened. He could now pick out the most minuscule details in the terrain. He also noted some slight motions from a number of individuals hiding in the forest. There were more of them.

The past days since the departure from Sarkast were filled with nothing but dungeon crawling and fighting off enemies to attain more power. During this time he had also found that his awareness for his surroundings could be tapped into and controlled specifically by his choice with the correct organization of his stats.

After a few seconds his heightened perception faded, but he had already memorized the locations of the hidden enemies. There were eight within his vicinity altogether.

One of the other men spoke up, "Hey, I recognize this guy. Isn't he the one with the bounty?"

The leader of the bandits squinted his eyes at Ray. He reached into an inside pocket of his leather vest and pulled out a folded sheet of parchment. He opened it and scanned the individual displayed. He grinned.

"Oh yes. Looks like we got ourselves a catch here fellas." He turned the parchment in Ray's direction. Ray looked back at a picture of himself. "Depths Legion has a sizable bounty on this one. Looks like it's our lucky day."

The rest of the bandits readied their melee weapons and closed in as those with ranged weapons waited for the cue of their leader. Their confidence grew as they saw Ray take a step back. What they mistook for fear clouded their judgment and made them too relaxed. The step Ray took was to prepare his fighting stance. The stance's purpose did not include retreat.

Ray waited for the presence in the forest that he was expecting. He made a quick glance to his right with the hint of another movement that did not include the eight enemies that cautiously approached him. The disturbance halted and Ray bent his knees.

"Solomondi!"

At Ray's shout a large white streak erupted from the forest and drove itself into the nearest bandit. The bandit with the crossbow turned to fire a bolt at the attacker and it glanced harmlessly off the armor attached to the beast's thick legs. The white tiger bit down around the bandit's chest with its great maw and flung him to the side, tearing through his leather armor easily. The rest of the bandits stared stunned at the massive Bengal tiger that drove itself into their midst, causing chaos and confusion that demanded their attention.

Ray took advantage of the distraction and rushed forward with his blade leading to strike the bandit leader. The bandit returned his attention to Ray far too late and felt the bite of Ray's sword carve itself through his breastplate. The breastplate might as well have been as thin as the parchment in his hand. Blood sprayed from the wound and he stared down at Ray in disbelief. A split-second later Ray had disappeared from his sight and moved to the drunken bandit next to him and subdued this second target easily. The drunken criminal made a sloppy swing in his intoxicated stupor and found himself in a forward somersault from his own uncontrolled momentum and Ray's sword whipping his legs out from underneath him. He didn't even have time to let out a cry as his face impacted on the ground.

Another crossbowman leveled his ranged weapon at Ray, but the bolt launched harmlessly past Ray's shoulder as Solomondi drove his head into the enemy's side. It was like being hit by a truck. The bandit's pelvis made a sharp crack and his hips bent awkwardly to the side as his upper body went in the opposite direction of his legs. He somersaulted through the air and landed flat on his back in a heap, the wind knocked out of him enough to rend him unconscious.

A small hail of arrows erupted from the forest with most embedding in the ground at Ray's feet and glancing off of Solomondi's armor. A stray bolt managed to streak in Ray's direction, but he parried it easily with his katana and made his way forward to use the horses of the fallen bandits as cover. Ray saw Solomondi rawr and leap into the foliage to take down the hidden enemies.

Only two bandits remained on the road and they backed away fearfully from Ray, clearly shaken up by how quick this Player had taken down their leader The ferocious attacks from the tiger fresh in their minds fed the fear. One of them found the courage to make a quick thrust forward with his scimitar which also fueled the confidence of the bandit beside him.

After an internal debate, the two bandits rushed forward together. One swung his sword in a downward arc while the second struck out with a horizontal swipe of his double-edged axe in the hopes that deflecting one attack would leave their enemy open for the second.

This was not the case. The katana in Ray's right hand intercepted the scimitar and at the same time a hidden blade appeared under Ray's wrist. The reinforced, armored contraption (courtesy of Sophie) deflected the great axe of the large bandit. The two bandits' pairs of eyes barely had time to widen in surprise at this display. Ray twisted the wrist wielding his katana to force the enemy's scimitar aside, leaving the bandit's chest wide open. At the same time he tucked his wrist under the crude blade of the axe and lifted it up to shoulder level. He lowered his body beneath the axe and stabbed the defenseless bandit in the stomach. As the bandit fell, Ray shrugged the falling body of his fallen foe forward to fall into his comrade who already stood awkwardly with his scimitar extended far to the side. The rest of Ray's strategy was easy. He whirled about with his scimitar and twisted his feet to stand behind the bandit, and the blade of his katana ate hungrily through the flimsy armor and sliced the bandit's back straight down his spine. The bandit arched his back and fell to his knees with his fingers clutching desperately in front of him at nothing in particular.

The remaining bandits fell to the ferocity that was Solomondi. The tiger emerged from the forest dragging one of the bandits by a bloodied leg and tossed him forward on his side next to Ray. The bandit craned his neck to look up at the face of the Player and the tiger that had torn he and his comrades apart with little effort.

Ray rested his boot against the bandit's chest and rolled him over. The bandit squinted in pain as the open wound on his leg pressed against the dirt and rock of the road.

"You freak," the bandit growled through gritted teeth.

Solomondi pressed his paw on another wound exposed in his side and the bandit screamed out a stream of curses.

Ray raised his hand to Solomondi and the tiger obeyed by removing its paw reluctantly from the bandit's exposed flesh.

Ray knelt down next to the bandit. "Solomondi doesn't like that kind of talk," he said. He turned his head towards the other bandits that lay strewn out across the road. "They probably won't die." He then added as an afterthought, "But it looks like you'll all have to find another occupation."

The bandit let out a short stream of air from between his teeth and gripped his side. He rocked back and forth groaning from the intense pain and with the realization that he probably would never walk normally again.

As Ray rose from his squat he turned his attention back the way he had come and saw a small group of Players and monsters approach. Solomondi also noticed them and padded over to them and expecting a pet on the head from his master.

The female Player of the group with red hair and a katana holstered on her back placed the flat of her foot on the bandit leader that attempted to settle his hands underneath him. He fell back to the ground and placed one hand underneath him once again but stopped himself as the tip of a blade settled underneath his chin. He shivered as he stared up at the grim female Player that stood over him.

"Seriously. Don't," she said in a simple warning.

The bandit leader tucked his arms to his side obediently as if he were playing dead.

The hint of a grin appeared on Yukiko's face as Ray approached her. A few days earlier it would have seemed unnatural, but lately her pretty features had gotten used to the idea of smiling.

"Not bad," she said.

Kurt was more enthusiastic as he jumped forward and slapped Ray hard enough on the back for him to stumble forward. "That was sick! Made short work of them real quick! Think you beat everyone's record!"

Bastet stepped forward with her arms crossed and pouting. "Not fair. You got more enemies than I did. I get the next group."

"We all agreed to take turns Bastet," Kurt pointed out. "Quit acting like a child."

"The hell did you say!" Bastet stood up on her toes to reach Kurt's height and shoved her forehead against his.

Kurt pushed back with his own but Bastet stood her ground. "You heard me catgirl! Childish, demeaning feline!"

"Stupid, clumsy oaf!" Bastet shot back as she pressed her forehead harder.

Ray and Yukiko stared at them and shook their heads at the comedic duo. Last to arrive were Leilan and Parvati who also stared at Bastet and Parvati at a loss.

Solomondi nuzzled underneath Parvati's arm and she scratched him behind the ears as a reward for helping Ray.

"It looks like Solomondi has taken a liking to you," she said with an approving laugh. "I've never seen him plan so patiently and react to a command with anyone else. You compliment each other well."

Ray grinned. "We just compromised on our plan of approach is all. He's pretty damn clever."

Solomondi sat back on his hind legs and let out a low rumble of agreement and eyed Ray appreciatively.

The conversation took a more serious tone as Leilan spoke. "Verche will have arrived at the coastal city of Fairton by now. We should arrive in Fluorestris by early evening to settle ourselves in."

"We also need to locate the guild hall of the Grand Hunters," Yukiko added.

"There might even be some Guardian monsters there," Ray concurred.

"Alright then," Parvati agreed as she mounted Solomondi's back. "I'm looking forward to seeing the city. I hear that everything functions on thousands of magic stones."

They turned to continue their journey to the capital city and stopped for a moment as they observed Kurt and Bastet with a mixed fascination. They were still going at it. Their stamina for argument was astounding. Ray wondered how they weren't completely fed up with each other by now. Maybe it was their own way of showing affection.

_Yeah right_, he thought with a wry grin.

"Flat-chested, impulsive midget!" Kurt shouted.

Bastet gasped at the first bit. "Take that back brainless, stinking waste of space!" Bastet blurted still pushing her straining forehead against his.

"Uh, other synonyms for flat-chested," Kurt said lamely.

Bastet jumped back and pointed victoriously at him with a hysterical laugh. "Ha! I win! You couldn't think of another insult!"

"How is that winning?" Kurt grabbed behind his head in frustration.

"Thought you were supposed to be smart!" Bastet continued laughing at him.

"This has nothing to do with-gah! Whatever!" Kurt waved her off and went to join Ray and the rest of the group as Bastet walked next to him sticking her tongue out.

Ray and the others continued on ahead.

"They are so..." Leilan started.

"...Immature," Yukiko finished for her.

As Ray began to pass the prone form of the bandit leader he squatted down to pick up the poster that displayed his face with the bounty. He hadn't noticed what the price was on his head and he was naturally curious about it. He unfolded the paper and let out a whistle as he saw a six-digit number posted in gold coins.

_One hundred thousand already. Geez._

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed another piece of paper sticking out of the pocket of the bandit's leather vest and he fished it from the unmoving body.

He swallowed hard as he beheld the face of the individual that smiled back at him.

The girl was a female around his age with a mocking and somehow uplifting smile on her face. Her cute face and deep blue eyes were features that he could never possibly forget. Her short brunette hair was mussed up compared to the careful grooming she put into it when last he saw her in his world. It looked like the image was taken after a rough battle.

Then there were the two monsters to the right of her portrait.

One was an enthusiastic female with long black hair and fins protruding from the sides of her head. An armored hand was raised with her fingers forming a horizontal peace sign over one eye. She stuck her tongue out along with the silly expression.

The second monster had a more calm and neutral expression on her beautiful face that was refreshing to look at. Her hair was tied back in a long braid with two short braids to either side of her head. She stood straight and stared down at an angle to observe a wide golden sword in a hand covered by a heavy gauntlet that extended the length of her forearm.

Ray's awe turned to a feeling of elation at seeing this Player with two monsters. He knew the names of these monsters from the first game: Karin and Valkyrie.

_Looks like Lucy is up to her own mischief, _Ray thought.

* * *

**Mooresville, North Carolina**

**United States**

**May 26, 2020**

**Real World Time- 8:35 AM**

Edward Andylon guided his black Hyundai Elantra up the steep slope of his driveway and settled himself between the two other cars: one that belonged to his daughter and the other to his wife. He was surprised that his daughter had decided to not sleep over her friend's house like she originally planned. It was a welcome surprise since he didn't get to see her often with his commute to the city and her living several hours away at the college she attended.

He sat back in his seat and let his hands brush slowly off the steering wheel. The previous night had been a long one. He was never a good sleeper and he had managed to get a few miraculous hours in when his cellphone went off. Being a senior investigator at a police department in a major city was turning out to be more than he bargained for. And the commute certainly didn't help his exhaustion once his work was finished. Maxing the volume of the speakers in the car as he listened to the Four Seasons could only do so much to keep him focused.

Why did he even bother with this job when he had a decent pension set up? He guessed it was because it was the closest thing that connected him to his past life, one he had given up when he had started up his family and when his eldest son Ray was born. He had thought moving ever further away from his well-off years would finally quench his cravings for the potential excitement that was abundant in his past. Even if someone became a family man, if he were a man who had seen violence in the past, it stuck with him forever. His body always reminded him of it.

He smirked at his pointless, brooding thoughts, thrust the car door open with a shrug, and pulled his bag from the passenger seat. He halted in his tracks on the way to the back door of the house when he realized that his handgun was still hidden under the driver's seat. He frowned at this. It was a first.

After retrieving his weapon he ascended the stairs of the back porch and entered the house that was more awake than he expected.

Olivia Andylon, the wife of the house, stood at the center island of the kitchen unpacking an ice bag full of groceries. She smiled at him with relief as he crossed the kitchen to embrace her and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"How are you sweetheart?" she asked as she returned to the groceries.

Edward shrugged. "As well as can be. Starting to get used to not sleeping."

He turned his attention to the living room and observed the two young females who lounged on the rug watching the television.

The girl lying on her stomach with the long, dirty blonde hair rolled to her side to greet her father.

"Hey dad. Beat anyone up today?" she said jokingly.

Edward smiled. "Wasn't expecting to see you here Kathryn. And no, not this time."

A few days earlier, he had gotten a call while he was in the office about a fight that had broken out at the nearby hospital only a few blocks away. The fighting was supposed to have subsided upon his arrival, but it had only escalated. Needless to say, Edward surprised everyone when he entered the fray and took down a couple of the violent men. Everyone saw an older man with a desk job come out not with fists, but with a variety of submissions and choke holds that subdued the men in short time.

The other girl sat up straight and regarded him with a quick wave and cheerful voice. "Hi Mr. Andylon! How are you?"

Andylon returned the wave. "No complaints," he said. "Good to see you Rachel. How's school?"

"It's school," she replied with a playful shrug.

The two girls returned to the TV and Edward frowned at what was depicted on the screen. A group of rough looking men were making their way through some sort of forest near a dirt road where two others rushed ahead on horseback. Their appearance didn't seem right to him. At first he thought it was some sort of movie with that weird computer-generated CGI he saw nowadays. But they seemed more animated and cartoonish with an unnatural black outline around the contours of their bodies. However, discarding this one irregularity, their appearances were so real: the dirt that kicked up and stuck to their perspirating bodies, the stressing of the muscles, and the twist of a sneer on their faces.

Kathryn Andylon sat at her laptop which was connected with an hdmi cord to the television and scrolled through an unseen list. A familiar symbol appeared that Edward had seen yesterday when he was at the bar with officer Terry.

Edward fell back onto the couch in the living room and rubbed his eyes as if the images of the screen were just a hallucination from the lack of sleep.

"I don't believe this. Kathryn, I thought you were on my side with this."

She answered him without turning from the screen, "I just wanted to see what Ray was up to with this stuff. I thought it was going to be some stupid game but, well, I dunno..." She trailed off as she attempted to find the right words to explain.

Rachel spoke up, "I read up on it. They have this intrinsic scan thing where they scan a person's body and figure out what kinds of things they can do. Like their abilities and all. I think that's about right."

"Yeah things they can possibly do in the real world," Kathryn added for clarity.

Andylon was still unconvinced as he watched the screen out of simple curiosity. The couch just felt so comfortable now and he figured he might as well watch to reaffirm his opinion against the world he thought was a game.

He leaned forward as a familiar figure appeared on the dirt road just a short ways from the men on horseback. The young man wore a full set of black armor and a Japanese-style sword in a scabbard on his back. There was no mistaking that disheveled hair and that straight posture as he strode towards the men who would be his enemies.

Edward found himself holding his breath briefly as the men took up positions on either side of the road with the other two dismounting to meet Ray on even ground.

"Well well, what do we have here? A Player with no monster to escort him," one of the men said with a cocky attitude. The man next to him let out a dry snicker.

Ray stood unmoving as he eyed the men that moved to surround him.

The man spit on the ground at Ray's feet. "You Players think you're all tough. But without your monsters, you're just like the rest of us. Human..."

Edward Andylon found himself resting his arms on his legs as the man spoke.

_What in the world?_

The conversation flowed so naturally. There was emotion in this man's voice and his gestures coordinated so believably as he spoke. Even the man next to him reacted to his speech and Ray's passiveness. He was curious to see how they would respond when Ray addressed them.

Ray did something unexpected. He did not meet them through dialogue, but through a straightforward action, and it was a movement that took Kathryn, Rachel, and Edward by surprise. He simply reached for his sword and the men reacted like any would to an opponent who was preparing himself for a fight.

"Woah this is intense," Kathryn breathed as she watched with fascination at her brother's collectedness. The reactions of the men were also incredibly realistic.

"Hey, I recognize this guy. Isn't he the one with the bounty?" one of the men ventured.

The leader of the bandits squinted his eyes at Ray. He reached into an inside pocket of his leather tunic and pulled out a folded sheet of parchment. He opened it and scanned the individual displayed. He grinned.

"Oh yes. Looks like we got ourselves a catch here fellas." He turned the parchment in Ray's direction. "Depths Legion has a sizable bounty on this one. Looks like it's our lucky day."

Ray readied himself in his stance and the bandits recoiled. Edward flinched along with them as he waited expectantly for one side to make the first move.

Ray surprised him again.

"Solomondi!" he shouted.

Right on cue a massive tiger charged out of the forest and attacked a nearby bandit with a ranged weapon. The men screamed at each other incoherently as the tiger drove through with its large, armored body.

Ray took advantage of the chaos and moved in on the two bandits before him and made short work of his opponents with swift attacks that laid waste to them in mere seconds. He then dodged through a hail of arrows and crossbow bolts and positioned himself behind the pair of horses.

The whole display was unreal. There was so much going on: screams of men as they shouted warnings to each other, the ferocity of the tiger midst its pounces, and the actions and reactions of the combatants as a whole.

The battle ended in no more than two minutes and the bodies of the wounded men lay scattered around Ray and the tiger. Ray patted the tiger on the head and thanked it for the support like a true comrade.

Everyone watching the display from the living room at the Andylon household became engrossed with the other individuals who approached Ray to the side of the TV screen. They all appeared to be human save for the two females that tread behind the group. One of the females had rainbow wings on her back while another seemed like a crossbreed between human and cat judging from her paws and ears. It was questionable with the third female who wore a light blue, silk dress and an assortment of jewelry.

They all congratulated Ray on his success until the other male in the group and the cat female began bickering off to the side. The rest of the group became engrossed in deep discussion about future plans.

But it was Ray that Edward was focused on. He seemed...lively. Almost cheerful. Not only that, but the way he held himself in the battle and amongst his comrades was something Edward had never seen before. He was fully engaged with them, and there was a confidence there that he rarely saw from Ray.

"That was awesome!" Rachel cheered. "I knew Ray was pretty tough but wow that was crazy! Guess all that wrestling paid off. I think I saw him throw a russian hold on that guy at the end."

Edward stared at Rachel and shook his head as she displayed the admiration for Ray that she had for most of her high school life. Four years she had spent as one of the wrestling managers on Ray's team. That dense son of his never even noticed the way she looked at him all the time in earnest. Everyone saw it accept for Ray.

He had always been in his own little fantasy world. His mind was not grounded in the one he was born in. Always jumping between multiple places in the real and fake. Had he now found that world that he was always retreating to? The thought made Edward nervous for his son. This virtual world felt wrong.

Edward was startled by a tap on his shoulder and he turned to see his wife Olivia holding a folded envelope that was already torn open.

"Sorry, I need to talk to you about this. Some private bank called and said that an account was made under your name."

Edward took the envelope from her and skimmed its contents. "I made no such account."

"Obviously."

"Did you call them?"

His wife nodded. "Of course. But they said they could only speak to you about it."

"Shit." He tossed the paper onto the coffee table in front of him and rested his chin in his hands. More and more problems just seemed to be piling up and he just couldn't shovel it all away fast enough.

"I can't deal with this right now. I'm too tired to argue with these people. I'll take care of it later."

He brought his attention back to the scene with Ray and his allies. They now seemed to have agreed on a course of action and were beginning to make their way down the road. The male and the female cat monster were still in the midst of their arguing.

Edward concluded that the male was just like Ray. A participant in this virtual world. The female he squabbled with must have been from that virtual world since she seemed more monster than human.

Their argument was so authentic. How could something created in a game possibly form such dialogue from an infinite number of conversation possibilities? Was this what technology was capable of?

It was a pertinent question, but another thought nagged at the back of Edward's brain that he suppressed as soon as he considered it.

_It's so disturbingly real._


	17. Chapter 16- Marked

"_There is no real sense of mourning with this war. We are all submerged in a dense melancholy. If only they could see through the fabricated pasts." - Mal Saf on Aftermath of Great War_

**Chapter 16- Marked**

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Fluorestris**

**In-Game Timer: Day 20**

**4:27 PM**

Ray and company stared in wonder at the towering spires that emerged from the grand city of Fluorestris. While Sarkast had taken on more of a dark undertone of stone and steel, Fluorestris assumed a glowing appearance in a wash of bright colors and intricately designed towers. Sarkast was a rough city in contrast to the flourishing beauty that was Fluorestris.

What was most remarkable about the city was the refractions of light that emerged from the rays of the sun. Magic stones, the life essence and one of the most valuable resources in the virtual world, was being put to use to distribute energy throughout the city. The stones had been forged together in long, thick strands that circled many of the towers in a spiral and entered at various sections through the smooth stone walls. Magic stones had been flattened and merged together to create squares that acted much like solar panels.

The city itself was set similar to Sarkast with the outer suburbs circling the inner city. However, no wall separated the districts. The inner city sat atop a massive hill with dozens of large buildings built into its side and propped up with metal supports.

Ray began to wonder how people were able to travel up the steep face of the hill when he noticed an absolutely massive machine-like gondola moving up the side of the hill. Its top was attached to a thin line of merged magic stones that provided it with power. The gondola could easily fit a few hundred individuals. There was plenty of space for horse-drawn carts and pieces of equipment. As one gondola rose another descended for efficiency. They dotted the hill in a number of key locations.

At the top of the hill stood a fortress. Its walls dug into the side of the hill at an angle and then curved upward to make any movement up the side of the walls impossible. Four towers stood equally apart in a square formation with lines of netted magic stones reaching toward a central structure with another wall and heavy defenses.

The city was, in a word, breathtaking.

"I'd say this city could rival one in our own world," Kurt said in awe. Then he corrected himself, "But its setup is superior to any I've heard of."

No one had anything more to add to the statement. It really was a wonder of architecture. They had thought Sarkast was impressive, but this city was a work of art.

The gates of the city now stood before them, imposing and carefully etched with the orb elements that the Players and monsters were familiar with. There were even orbs that were foreign to them; attributes that had once existed in the past with names and qualities long since forgotten. It showed that perhaps the city was older than expected but constantly improved upon over the years.

A line of guards wearing glorious rose-gold armor with silver edging stood at attention with their lances at the ready, all angled in perfect harmony. Eight guards standing at the gates donning armor with elaborate pauldrons and wrist guards examined carts and analyzed permits if contents seemed questionable.

As the three Players with their monster partners approached, they noticed a group of individuals off to the side wearing light armor with matching swords sheathed to their waists. Some of them were covered in thick, white and gray robes with hoods lowered, concealing their intense expressions. They marched forward unfazed by the guards who now leveled their lances to chest height.

One of the guards in refined armor returned a permit he was analyzing to a merchant and ordered his other men to continue carrying out their business. He held an outstretched hand to the men wielding lances and they began to relax themselves with the poles of their weapons lightly brushing the dirt.

The two sides halted a few yards from each other with the sole guard standing before the group with hate growing on their faces.

"You are not welcome here," the guard said, his voice muffled by the helmet that encompassed his head and masked his features. The thin visor over his eyes and the fine marks to the sides gave him the intimidating appearance of some otherworldly machine rather than a human.

One of the robed males stepped forward unfazed. "We are the loyal servants of Lo! Unlike you heretic filth! You will anger Lo by defying the words and safety of her children!"

More furious shouts rose from the crowd behind him, extending praise to the Lady Overlook and expressing their fanatical devotion to her will.

"In Fluorestris, freedom of speech is a privilege," the guard said ignoring their yells of deference and fury. "You forfeited this freedom as well as admittance when you caused harm to the royal line. Begone with you, or I shall have the sleeping lances of my men awaken."

At these words the guards lining the wall once again readied their weapons and balanced their heals on the edge of the wall that met the ground. They cocked their elbows together in unison. Their synchronization was frightening.

Many of the Lo worshipers took a hesitant step back, save for a few of the robed men, including the one who had spoken.

"You are fools! The will of Lady Lo is the true way! The Creators have been given a false power by her decree! We are failing her test of resolve!" The cultist noticed Ray and the others and turned in their direction with the extension of his hand. "Look and see the test that she has sent us! These Players are sent by the Creators to sow the seeds of chaos. We must return power back to our one true savior, Lady Lo!"

Ray and the others glanced around warily as they noticed some people to the side who were nodding their agreement to the cultist's line of thinking; however, to Ray's relief, it seemed the majority shook their heads with disapproval.

The guard spoke again with the threatening tone in his voice swelling, "Leave now or I will not hesitate to give the order. You are no longer citizens of Fluorestris. We now have every right to cut you down where you stand." He lifted his hand once again with all fingers spread wide. One finger curled towards his palm, followed by another, as he began the countdown. The silence that settled outside the wall was stifling.

"You wouldn't dare!" the cultist shouted. Everyone could sense the tinge of fear in his voice despite the words.

When the guard didn't answer and continued his countdown the cultist followers began to back up towards the direction they had come. A few of them had to step forward to pull back the cultist leader and they retreated towards the hills that lay westward. For now, at least, it seemed the defenders of the city had won.

The guard relaxed himself and his lancers followed suit. Only the slight turn of his head indicated that he was looking at the new arrivals: the group of Players and monsters. He approached them in a nonthreatening manner and gave them a curt bow with the fingers of his right hand brushing the pommel of the sword at his hip.

"Apologies," he said. "I am afraid you have seen a rather bitter part of Fluorestris."

"I'm sure every city has that sort of people," Kurt said. He didn't even realize that he had held his breath most of the time during the exchange. Speaking came as a relief.

"Granted," the guard responded. He looked each one of them over carefully before continuing. "Are all of you new to the city?" he noted.

"Some of us," Leilan answered for the group. "I have visited here a few times."

"A Guardian monster," the guard observed. "I see."

Yukiko was still staring off in the direction where the cultists had disappeared. "So what do they call themselves?"

"Loetions," the guard said with distaste. "A fanatical and rather violent religious group with an unhealthy obsession of the Lady Overlook."

"You said they attacked royalty," Yukiko pressed further.

The guard didn't seem to have any reason to hide information from them concerning the event. "Indeed. It was an assassination attempt on the life of the princess. The attack was easily foiled by the royal guard." The soldier added emphasis to this last statement with a hint of pride for his men.

Before they could ask anymore questions the guard halted the conversation. "Unfortunately, I must return to my post. We are being overwhelmed these days. You are in no need of permits being Players with monster partners." His last words were less enthused at the idea though. It seemed reasonable that he was hesitant to let Players and monsters into the city just because of their titles. But it was one of the few _requests_ of the Creators in the real world, and the denizens of the virtual world saw little choice other than to abide by them.

The guard returned to his post and clapped one of the lancers on the shoulder as he went down the line.

The Players and monsters entered the city with no further hindrance.

The roads of the city seemed as if they had been finely polished, and the stone gave off a smooth appearance like ice bespeckled with salt. The buildings that had been hidden by the wall varied in taste with some built like sculptures and others constructed of carefully scraped lumber fitted by some unknown plaster. Such a mixture of structures should have seemed out of place, but it somehow fit, and they even managed to compliment each other in an off way.

After a few minutes they had reached a bend in the road that opened up into a vast park. The sidewalk traveled through the lush green grass and winded around cherry blossom trees with branches full of pink and white splendor. The trees dotted the park like low-hovering clouds. A clear pond sat slightly off-center of the park with people sitting in rowboats and floating docks.

"It's beautiful."

Ray turned to regard Yukiko who had a cheerful expression on her face as she stared mesmerized. A full smile was on her face and her eyes gave off an enthusiastic glow. It was a pleasantness that Ray had not expected to see from her. As of late she seemed to be coming more and more out of herself to reveal another part of her person.

She sensed Ray staring at her and made a hasty turn of her head when they locked eyes for a fraction of a second. Ray also found himself shifting a bit to the side and pretended to observe something in the distance.

The awkwardness was pushed aside as Kurt pointed to a building that was akin to a fortress mounted a short ways past the park. A number of banners swayed in the soft breeze with dual bows and crossbows displayed with attribute orbs encircling them.

"I think we've found the Grand Hunters."

Bastet rushed down the hill with her arms spread behind her in a full-on sprint. The others glanced at each other for a second until Leilan moved to follow. They all dashed through the grass with the goal already in mind. In no time the companions were in an unspoken race to the finish line.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Teril Outskirts**

**In-Game Timer: Day 20**

**4:27 PM**

Siegfried lowered himself into an army crawl and dragged his heavily armored body forward to the edge of the cliff so he could get a better view of the massive group of dark mystic knights that marched in the canyon below towards Dragon territory. This was the biggest contingent he had seen so far and he felt an itch in his fingers that prodded him with worry. He instinctively reached for the imposing sword on his back but stopped himself when he realized he would not actually be engaging in combat with the mass of black figures below.

He heard Cu Chulain speak from behind him, "Is it that bad?" Chulain could see the twitching of Siegfried's fingers even from his position far to the side. They had been together for so long that it was easy to read the mood of the other.

Siegfried's silence was answer enough.

"There is nothing more we can do," Cu Chulain reasoned. "Until Verche reaches Plesios we can only gauge the enemy's numbers."

Siegfried knew Cu Chulain was right, but it was frustrating all the same. He was bred as a warrior, not a scout.

"There are demons wandering the area," Cu Chulain pressed.

That was all Siegfried needed to hear. He now had an outlet to vent his frustration. He stood up from his prone position and drew his sword.

"Then let's teach them a lesson."

* * *

It wasn't hard to locate the demons. They took no care in their steps and their movements were easily picked out by the rustling of the foliage and the trampling of the undergrowth. The demons stood in a clearing at the edge of the forest and wandered near a short cliff that overlooked the small trade town of Teril. Most of the demons practically jumped and fell back startled when the two armored warriors emerged from the forest.

Siegfried led the way with his cerulean armor taking on a greenish hue from the dense light of the setting sun. The blade of his massive sword rested on one of his shoulders and he stood before the demons in a casual stance.

Cu Chulain trailed behind in his dark green armor with his lance/halberd resting across his shoulders. He stepped forward at ease.

The demons drew their weapons: pitch forks, tridents, and spears.

Siegfried and Cu Chulain noted the attributes of these demons. They were dark, fire, and water. So it was true. The demons of various attributes and clans were now fighting together.

_Good, _Siegfried thought.

Siegfried halted his approach a few yards away from the weapons that prodded the air with a poor attempt at intimidation. It amused Siegfried.

"So what might you demons be doing here so close to Teril?" Siegfried asked as he readied his weapon.

The demons didn't answer as they took another step back towards the cliff. All it took was Siegfried's nonchalant attitude to place them on their heels. There wasn't much ground left between them and the cliff.

Cu Chulain motioned for Siegfried to lend an ear and whispered, "We are being watched."

Siegfried was undeterred. "More demons?"

"No. Stronger. This enemy hides presence well."

"Then let's make short work of these demons."

With that last statement Siegfried rushed forward with his massive broadsword leading and cut through one of the startled demons. The force of Siegfried's sword whipping around in an arc sent the other demons sliding along the ground. Many fell on their backs with others losing the grips on their weapons.

Cu Chulain took advantage of Siegfried's attack to mount his own. His spear-halberd impaled the nearest demon through the back and he swung the demon's body into another nearby and sent the second demon screaming down the cliff. One of the few brave demons of the group moved in on Cu Chulain with its spear raised high above its head with all thoughts of defense removed. Chulain drove his weapon through the foolish demon's chest and used its body against another demon much the same as the last one. He leaped upon the demon that collided with its ally's body and slashed along its chest, leaving a horrid gash that reached from shoulder to thigh.

Siegfried was still in the midst of his drawn-out, powerful attacks that shook the cliff and disturbed the air around him. The sheer force of Siegfried's swings left the demons on their rears and knees with weapons spread outward. The enemy didn't stand a chance with all of their defenses exposed from the sheer ferocity of the devastating weapon. The demons fell, bodies falling within seconds of each other until none remained.

Siegfried turned to Cu Chulain to see his progress and saw that the knight was finishing off his last enemy. The green knight pulled his weapon from the corpse and strode to Siegfried so they could assess the situation together.

Cu Chulain felt his body lift ever so slightly off the ground and his shoulders rise. At first he attributed this to a slight chill until his warrior instinct kicked in with a sharp warning to his senses.

"Move!"

Siegfried obeyed the warning without hesitation and pushed himself back towards the cliff as Cu Chulain dove to the side, barely avoiding a pillar of purple, pulsing energy that ate into the rock where he previously stood. He swatted aside the debris that blocked his vision. Then he saw the black spike that extended in his direction. He brought his pole weapon up just in time to deflect the sharp projectile. He fell into a backwards roll, pushed up with his flexed shoulder blades, and landed on his feet to deflect yet another spike that anticipated his maneuver. The spike glanced off the pole of his weapon and cut across the side of his helmet instead of striking head-on.

Cu Chulain now saw that Siegfried had been in a similar situation as a spike was halted by the flat of his blade. The knight in cerulean armor stretched his arms to recover from the heavy impact of the rigid missile.

Their attention was then seized by the female monster that stood between them.

She rose from her crouch and stood tall with a hand on her hip. She clenched her fist and the black circle of caricthmian metal that floated behind her assumed its true shape as more spear blades grew on the outer rim of the metal. A malicious smile was splayed over her beautiful face as she examined the two knights on either side of her.

Siegfried and Cu Chulain knew her all too well.

The female conjured a sphere of dark energy and twirled a stream of blackness over her other hand as she prepared a second sphere.

"As sharp as ever. Well met Siegfried. Cu Chulain," Hera said.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Flint Peak**

**In-Game Timer: Day 20**

**4:27 PM**

The Dragon of Prospects, Prophet, stood motionless in the Tomb of the Saints much like he had for most of the life he had been given. He was alone, save for the particles of data that ventured through the cavern with the rare death of a dragon to keep company.

The Players that had visited him some time ago still weighed on his mind. He had reached out with his mind to Ray Andylon for a short time as the Players and monsters had departed, analyzing his coding and discarding options that had seemed impossible at the time.

Now he was not so sure. Perhaps one of these possibilities that he had so readily filed away in his subconscious was actually the conclusion. This meant that all previous hypothesi were useless. Never had he felt so foolish, and now Ray Andylon and his comrades were far out of reach to the west.

It was Prophet's own curiosity that needed to be sated. There was no rush. The Players needed to get stronger. The Age of Monsters was merely in its infant stages. The time would come when the Players entered a role that would determine the course of battle.

Prophet halted his thought processes as a figure crossed the threshold of the cavern entrance. The invisible barrier he had erected sent him a warning signal. He muffled it once he recognized the approaching monster.

The female monster emerged with the clank of her fanged, iron feet echoing off the walls of the dungeon. Her violet hair flowed to her waist and brushed against the ruby-gold of her armor. Her eyes varied in color, one red and one bright yellow, scanning the tomb attentively.

Prophet could smell the faint trace of dragon blood flowing from a wound on her thigh that was already showing signs of healing as the skin stitched itself together and staunched the bleeding.

Prophet greeted her. "_Well met, Sonia."_

The Marvelous Red Dragon Caller, Sonia, crossed one ruby-scaled arm over her chest and let the other fall stiff to her side. "You summoned me Dragon of Prospects," she said in her cool voice.

"_I am surprised the Dragon Callers saw fit to send you here."_

"I volunteered."

Prophet went silent for a time as he considered this. Volunteered. It was unnatural.

"What do you request of us?"

"_I wish for you to carry a message for me."_

Sonia frowned at the simplicity of the request. "And who is the receiver?"

"_It is a Player."_

The lowering of her arm was the only indication of surprise that Sonia betrayed along with the ever-so slight twitch of the mouth. Dragon Callers were more than willing to assist their dragon comrades, but Prophet now wondered if she was considering whether this task was beneath her since it involved a Player.

"_Whenever time is of convenience, __I wish for you to inform him that I would like to converse with him when the time is appropriate. We have much to discuss."_

"He is merely a human," Sonia said. "Players on their own are weak."

"_For now at least," _Prophet interjected.

Sonia remained silent.

_"I was unable to decipher him. I believe since he was a Player I made a lapse of judgment and removed a possibility as to the nature of his coding."_

Sonia did not even try to hide her surprise this time. She lifted her head and locked eyes with Prophet. Prophet knew she could see the foreign emotions that were playing behind his eyes. It was a mix of curiosity and a human feeling of disappointment at his shortcoming.

"What's this Player's name?"


	18. Chapter 17- Declaration

**A/N: Welcome to the seventeenth chapter of the story. Did I just say "seventeenth?" Nice. **

**A big thanks to everyone who has posted reviews on the story. I also greatly appreciate everyone's PMs and discussion with the story. Still busy with school but doing my best. Short author's note I know. I'll leave you all to the story. Enjoy. **

* * *

_"My intrusion makes me the compliment of the deus ex machina. Omnis homo odit machina." -Anonymous_

**Chapter 17: Declaration**

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Fluorestris**

**In-Game Timer: Day 20**

**4:47 PM**

Ray Andylon stared in disbelief at the five individuals that sat before him. Sitting behind their steel, half-circle table instilled the sense of authority that was their position in the guild known as the Grand Hunters. Five banners swayed behind them as the calm air from outside crept into the massive assembly room. The banners exhibited the five elements of orbs: fire, water, wood, light, and dark.

The age and appearance of these persons ranged anywhere from their mid-twenties to probably somewhere around late thirties. One of the men sitting to the far right of his comrades at the long table with his hands clasped before him already showed signs of gray strands to either side of his head. The female next to him appeared to be only slightly older than Ray, assuming a fierce appearance that would have rivaled Yukiko's stern countenance. The other three appeared more relaxed, two males and another female, wearing the matching attire donned by guild commanders that consisted of a cape with the embroidery of dual bows and crossbows and silver armor with the guild symbol etched in black on their chest plates.

The answer to Ray's application regarding his submission to the guild was completely unexpected. He even ventured it was more along the lines of absurd.

"Are you that surprised by our decision?" the rigid female on the right asked in her steely voice.

Ray worked to find the words to express his argument but found that he could only utter a simple "yes" in reply. After all, how could they possibly have rejected him? As far as all the Players in the virtual world were concerned he was the first Player to gain a second monster for his team. Word had spread quickly across Pirugan that a Player had defeated a god monster just within the first week. Surely this was proof enough that he had the skill to join the guild. But apparently these individuals saw the situation differently.

"It is certainly impressive that you were able to attain your second monster in such a short time. But there are other factors as guild leaders that we need to consider to ensure the guild's growth," the gray-haired man to the right said brusquely.

The man to the far left spoke next. "One of these factors we need to take into account is your rank. We need to maintain the image that this guild is for elite Players. Accepting you with your low numbers would give the appearance that we will just receive anyone and disregard their qualifications. This would turn the elite candidate away from the guild."

"This could also potentially spread the forces of Players within the elite thin amongst multiple guilds. With Depths Legion growing by the day with possible Player Killers we need to make sure we draw the strong Players to us," the second female stated with more sympathy than the others.

The leaders of the guild went silent and waited expectantly for Ray's response to their reasoning.

Ray couldn't begin to understand it. He had two monsters while many Players still only had one. Sure his rank was low from the previous Puzzle and Dragons game, but it wasn't even a true show of skill. It didn't gauge all the factors of being a competent Player.

"People know about me," Ray argued. He fought to hide the distraught tone in his voice. "Players know that I was the first to gain two monsters."

"Be that as it may," the rigid female noted. "It is still a concern that many will see your rank and attribute your success to mere luck or the sole ability of your first monster and not your skill alone."

"Please understand," the young male to the left said. "You may indeed be a skilled Player, but we have all of Pirugan to consider right now. One Player just simply can't make a difference compared to the dozens we might lose."

Ray had heard enough. It was clear there was no rationale he could work with to sway their decision. It appeared to be unanimous. He stood there for a short time with his thoughts at a standstill. Even if he were to display his skill to them right there and now they probably still wouldn't consider him. And it was all because of a simple, misleading number from the past.

The final young male sitting amongst his fellow commanders who had been silent until now spoke up, "We are truly sorry."

Those words forced Ray's feet to turn and he made his way to the massive double doors at the end of the impressive assembly room. He halted for a moment at the doors and stared amongst the tiled floor at a section that held no particular meaning but somehow held his gaze. He wasn't seeing the tile floor, but another distant land somewhere that his mind was somehow able to mesh from nothing. It was Pirugan. He knew what it meant. It was Pirugan itself he would have to prove himself to. And by doing so, he would prove to the Grand Hunters that they had made a huge mistake, and that one Player could make a difference that a dozen others couldn't.

Many of them were still ignorant to what was truly at stake. War was coming. It was a war that was dragging not one, but two worlds into conflict.

* * *

"Wait, hold up a sec."

Ray barely glanced over his shoulder as one of the commanders of the Grand Hunters exited the assembly chamber. The young man's brow was already matted with sweat as he rushed over to Ray. Despite the sweat wetting his curly black hair he didn't seem to be under much strain.

"I'm sorry about my friends in there. I just wanted to let you know that Maya and I were all for having you become a member of the guild."

Ray assumed that Maya was the quiet girl who seemed to have the genuine compassion for Ray's plight.

"It's alright," Ray answered, his expression softening. "I suppose there's nothing you can really do if the other three disagree."

The man shook his head. "I don't know what they're thinking. I'm under the impression that your name will spread and your rank won't matter. Not that it even does in the first place, but people hold weight to numbers as proof."

"Why are you telling me this?" Ray asked.

"I can't share information concerning the guild with you, but I would still like to add you to my friend list," the man answered straightforward.

Ray's mouth tightened at this. He had to wonder if this was simply an empathetic gesture or if this guy really did believe he had some ability. Pity was the last thing Ray ever wanted from anybody. It made him feel devalued and lacking a sentiment of usefulness.

Before Ray could reply the young man raised his hand and continued, "I don't believe anyone could possibly have beaten a monster so early without having some sort of skill. And even if people say it is luck, I'm someone who believes that luck is a part of that skill. It is clear to me you have talent."

Ray began to consider his words and noticed that the double doors had opened once again and the young female, Maya, now approached to stand next to her companion. Her face was like that of an expressionless, porcelain doll with her smooth, milky white features. Her blonde, twin curled pigtails bobbed up and down with her long strides for someone of such short stature. She remained silent and simply nodded her assent to her comrade's words.

Did they really think he had potential? Ray couldn't be sure, but it definitely wasn't a bad thing that two commanders of the strongest rising guild wanted to be his friend to explore Pirugan. By going out of their way like this, they must view him as an equal whereas many who joined the guild would appear to be more in the role of subordinates. Even though Ray might be deprived of the information in the guild, he might be able to raise his status even without it. It was a possibility, and Maya and this young man didn't seem to be bad sorts.

Ray thought back to when he had first met Yukiko and Paravati, and then Kurt and Bastet afterwards. Their relationship had developed into one of mutual trust over what might have seemed like a long time. It would be nice to expand the same relationship with these two and their monsters. After all, the Grand Hunters seemed to have a considerable number of monsters in line with the Guardians.

Ray opened his database and accessed his friends list. "Sure. I don't mind."

The young man grinned. "Alright! Glad to hear it. Oh, the name's Ruslin." He extended his hand which Ray took in his own freely and they gave a swift shake.

Maya stepped forward and offered hers as well and they shook.

"So you are partnered with Leilan and Verche," Ruslin commented.

"Yeah, that's right. Who are you partnered with?" Ray asked. He didn't mind the small talk now that he was beginning to understand a common viewpoint that the two commanders held.

"Amaterasu and Cao Cao."

Ray held his demeanor in check at the mention of the monster names. He had no recollection of any mention of the two monsters when Leilan recounted the story of Takamura and the universal code. He had to wonder if they had already filled Ruslin in about the war. Ray decided it was best to keep quiet about it for now until he got to know the two Players better.

"Leilan is an interesting pick," Maya said in her quiet voice. Ray had to practically strain his ears to hear her. "She hasn't necessarily been one of the popular choices over the past few years. Was she your preferred choice?"

It was true. In the original game Leilan's character had fallen off the list of popular monsters to use in dungeons since there were many other monsters easier to use that provided better results and versatility. But she was the first monster he had ever received. She was actually the main reason he had continued playing. Even though she was far from the most popular, Ray had felt that there would be something different about this new virtual world. There was something that made each monster unique. No monster seemed better than another. They had their own strengths and weaknesses. A personality.

Ray answered honestly, "I suppose you could say I became emotionally attached to her." He paused as he considered his next words. "I guess I just feel comfortable with her. It just felt right."

Even though Leilan could seem a little standoffish and intense, she had a compassionate side to her that he had seen during the time spent in Flint Peak. Her genuine concern for her comrades was appealing and she was passionate about her goals for the future of Pirugan.

Ray let out a short gasp at the last thought. He was beginning to understand what it was that drew him to her and Verche as well. They were so selfless. They loved their world and the goals they strived for were for the benefit of their whole world. While Ray perhaps didn't see his own the way they saw theirs, he had spent most of his life doing things for others rather than for himself. Seeking approval of people close to him was perhaps his only selfish gain.

Maya's next words woke Ray from his reverie, "You seem lost Ray Andylon."

Ray shook his head and smiled. "It's nothing. Just thinking I might have realized something nice." He steered the conversation in another direction to avoid any prodding questions. "And who is your monster partner Maya?"

"Izanami."

Ray had heard no mention of Izanami from Leilan or Verche either. He decided he would bring her name up as well the next chance the opportunity arose.

The three Players engaged in idle conversation for the next few minutes. It was mostly discussion about what each had explored, the NPCs they engaged with (although Ray now knew that they were in fact real humans), and the different kinds of monsters they had encountered. The lighthearted discussion put Ray at ease and he was glad to have officially met Maya and Ruslin.

The time passed quick. Maya and Ruslin announced that they had guild business to attend to and Ray bid them farewell. Perhaps the day wasn't a total loss since he had made two new powerful comrades.

* * *

"So what do you think?" Ruslin asked Maya as soon as Ray was out of earshot.

"I think he has potential," Maya answered.

"I see. You always were a good judge of character."

"There's no way his victory over Verche was a fluke."

Ruslin regarded her curiously with that statement. "You seem so certain."

"I am."

"And how can you be?" inquired a second female voice from behind them.

Ruslin whirled about taken off guard and saw the steely female commander; one of the three that had refused Ray's admittance into the guild. Ruslin frowned at her intrusion and harshly blunt personality. Her presence left a sour taste in his mouth.

"It is clear that the dungeons of this world provide monsters with a massive amount of power. There is no way Ray's monster could have won single-handed," Maya responded calmly.

The other female shrugged. "Granted. But as stated earlier, his rank is meaningless save for the fact that it possibly shows his lack of dedication to the original game. That is how many of the veteran Players will see it, and we can't lose any potential candidates."

"Are you really that bent on having the most powerful guild Cynthia? There is such a thing as alliances you know. We don't need to hold a monopoly on it," Ruslin reasoned to back up Maya's words.

The female named Cynthia glared at Ruslin and twisted her face in a look of contempt. "Alliances are all well and good, but we are at a greater advantage if all Players unite against Depths Legion under a single banner. It creates a stronger union." She added emphasis to the name of the enemy guild with a strong vehemence as if the name was a poison boiling in her mouth.

Ruslin raised his hands in surrender unwilling to push the matter further. Maya stood next to him expressionless as Cynthia strode past them without another word.

"Do you think she knows about the war?" Ruslin asked as the female Player disappeared.

Maya shook her head. "Doubtful. Her monster partner, Sonia, is not a member of the Guardians. She has no allegiance or any reason to provide Cynthia with any information."

"So many god monsters we need to keep track of," Ruslin said with a heavy sigh. "The politics too. God, how tiresome."

"I agree."

The two Players felt no further need for discussion and headed in the direction where Ray and Cynthia had departed. They decided without even voicing the idea that exploring some dungeons would put their minds at ease.

* * *

"What a load of bullshit!" Kurt blurted out louder than he had intended. A few of the patrons in the bar regarded him with a strange look before returning to their meals and mugs.

"Keep it down," Yukiko grumbled with that disapproving look of hers as she took a sparse sip from her own mug of ale.

Ray gazed around the tavern to make sure the attention had moved passed them. He was glad that the three of them had opted to choose the far end of the bar to hold their conversation away from most of the ever-growing crowd.

The tavern seemed to be a popular location, tucked into a busy corner of Fluorestris's east side just outside of the main business district. A smart move since many people finishing their duties of the day would most likely pass the bar or travel only a short distance out of the way, feeling the growing urge to have a cold drink to wind down as evening pushed aside the day.

The tavern also had an appealing, uplifting atmosphere to it with silly signs stating that beer was the glory of the universe or the like. The waitresses wore marginally revealing outfits that showed off their curves and bosoms. The outfits showed enough without being overly modest with those bold pronouncements of the art of the female form. The entire atmosphere of the bar was uplifting, filled with relief, and held a unique charm to it.

Ray had always been a fan of places like this in his own world. He didn't care for the club scene with the booming bass music with too much dark lyrical depth. The bars with the drinking music about chasing girls or getting wasted with close friends appealed to him more (even though he never did this himself). Signs on the walls by Benjamin Franklin talking about how "beer was God's proof that he loves us and wants us to be happy" were the kind of lightheartedness that he needed to forget responsibilities for a while. The eye candy certainly was a perk as well.

"I will agree with Kurt though," Yukiko said. "They have made a poor decision."

"I would jump at the chance to get a guy in my guild who was the first to get a second monster. Seriously, rank is nothing." Kurt downed the last of his beer and unsuccessfully attempted to suppress a belch.

Ray covered his mouth as a laugh escaped him. Ray appreciated their words. His mind still ached with the fact that he was now not a part of the guild while Yukiko and Kurt had been accepted. And at first he had felt a little separated from them, but it was a feeling short-lived.

"Well if that's how it is I'll just fill you in on what's going on," Kurt announced.

Yukiko let out a sigh of exasperation. "If anyone in the guild found out then you would likely be kicked out in an instant."

Ray nodded. "She's right. I don't want you to put yourself at risk for me like that. I appreciate the offer though."

Kurt scoffed at the absurdity and rose from his stool. "Gotta take a piss." He mumbled under his breath about how stupid it was that he still had to take a leak in a virtual game.

"Did Verche find any sign of Plesios?" Yukiko asked.

"No. Last anyone saw was around a few weeks before that Reversion happened."

"The event that drained the monsters of their power," Yukiko commented. She now cradled the mug in her hands. The effects of the alcohol were beginning to dull her senses and she hated any sort of feeling of powerlessness. She pushed the mug aside and asked the bartender for some water.

What happened next was something that no Player or anyone could have anticipated. The windows at the front of the bar shattered inward with no warning and those inside were engulfed by a powerful wind. The twisting air knocked signs off the walls and whipped the chairs off their legs, sending many of the patrons to the floor in a heap. The wind lasted only for a few seconds, but the damage had been done.

Ray collected himself from the wood floor and hoisted up with the bar for support. He helped the rattled Yukiko with an extended hand which she accepted gratefully.

They stared around the room as everyone else rose holding their heads and body parts that had been injured during the sudden gale. Most seemed to only suffer from minor injuries.

"What in the hell was that?" someone near the front of the bar shouted. The man pulled a piece of glass free from his arm and ignored the blood that flowed in a small stream.

As if in answer, the ground beneath their feet began to rise. The stone floor became riddled with wide cracks that extended to the walls and went to work on the building. The cracks traveled like pumping veins and spread as if overloaded.

"By the gods," someone gasped.

Ray felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Kurt staring in bewilderment at the front of the destroyed bar.

Everyone gathered themselves in a daze until someone screamed off to the side and disappeared into darkness where solid ground had once been.

"Run!"

People rushed from the building as the ground around them burst, injuring many and some being swallowed by the ground that collapsed beneath them.

Ray, Yukiko, and Kurt leaped through the shattered windows, went into a shoulder roll, and were up on their feet with the extra burst of momentum.

The scene before them was horror.

Buildings collapsed as the earth now began to cave in after rising just a few seconds before. It was like a roiling wave of cobblestone and dirt imploding upon itself at the same time. People were crushed by the falling debris while some took injuries that prevented them from escaping the dark pit that followed them as the ground fell away. A streetlamp rotated as the roiling street agitated its base and it swung into the side of a horse-drawn carriage with people gripping its sides. Two tall buildings fell into each other and showered glass on the pedestrians that ran for their lives.

It had been so calm only a minute before the chaos.

Ray took it all in: the death, the destruction, the desperation. Ray dove as the wall of a building above burst from the heavy impact of another and showered around him. A pillar collapsed across the street and halted at an angle as its top lodged into the side of a small building. Ray slid underneath the pillar and dug his heels into the ground to right himself as he leaped over a carriage thrown on its side.

When he had traversed most of the debris he took the time to glance to his sides and searched for any sign of his comrades. He spotted Yukiko off to his right as she ran up a steady incline of stone that emerged. She leaped over the base of a structure that had been turned into a landslide and veered in Ray's direction to distance herself from the buildings. There was no sign of Kurt.

Ray risked a glance behind him and saw that the ground to the rear was still collapsing. People running from the growing pit fell to their deaths in the embrace of darkness. The ground rose up again like a wave and random portions seemed to disintegrate as it toppled like a raging waterfall.

Ray made an instinctive leap as a hole seemed to materialize before him and he planted his feet on an angled portion of the street.

Then the spreading pit emerged from the side. Ray gasped as the falling earth wrapped around in his direction. He barely managed to take the extra two strides that allowed the dirt waterfall to pass behind him.

_This is insane!_

Yukiko had directed herself closer to his line of travel. A few dozen more strides would bring them together. It seemed as if the earth did not want this. Another angled cut of earth now sliced towards Yukiko. She was too focused on reaching Ray and leaping other obstacles to notice the unnatural change.

_No! Don't let it happen! _Ray's mind screamed.

He planted both hands flat on a large piece of debris and threw himself forward.

"Yukiko! Your right!"

Yukiko shifted her eyes in the direction of the falling ground that rushed for her eagerly. She stared in disbelief at the towering wall of stone that soon separated her from Ray. To her surprise, Ray angled up the back of the walled mound and leaped atop it without breaking a stride. He rushed ahead of her and threw himself to his belly as he reached down from the top of the wall.

"Yukiko!"

Yukiko pumped her arms and readied herself for the jump. Dust bellowed from the side and temporarily obstructed her vision. It was enough that she could no longer see Ray and his outstretched hand. She took a leap of faith.

Her lower body whipped forward through the air as her extended arm was halted. She brought her second hand up and it was met by Ray's as she was hastily pulled to the top of the wall.

They didn't take the time to make an exchange, only their eyes locked briefly as each saw the other's fear.

Ray rolled backwards, pulling Yukiko up and sending her to flip forward and land on the ground below. Ray continued his roll and planted his hands beneath him to land next to her.

Ray and Yukiko let out a gasp of relief as they spared a glance over their shoulders to see that the collapsing ground seemed to slow and give up its pursuit.

The land made one last attempt to put an end to the two Players. It was as if it held an unreasonable loathing for them.

Ray was the last to see the fissure that pulsed along in front of them and open its mouth wide. He tripped as a stray piece of a boulder glanced off his foot, slowing him enough to make the gap of the fissure extend an extra two feet before he reached it. Yukiko leaped a short ways ahead of him and landed on the other side with inches to spare, inches that Ray no longer had.

He made the jump before he realized the impossibility of the distance. He clenched his fingers desperately as the cliff tauntingly pushed away. There was no way.

How could he die now? He wasn't even in a fight. If he died he would come back, but he would lose much of what he had gained. He would fall behind his enemies. It was too soon. Not like this.

Ray's body swung into the side of the fissure. He realized that his fall had been halted. He dangled, staring down into the fissure below in a brief daze before he looked up to see Kurt, face strained and matted with dust and dirt.

Kurt gritted his teeth as he grabbed Ray's arm with both hands and struggled to pull him up. Yukiko was soon next to him and helped bring Ray over the lip of the cliff. They were up and running until they were finally able to register the silence around them. The ground no longer quaked or fell.

The three Players collapsed next to each other from exhaustion. They lay there together, chests heaving and legs out of gas as the chaos finally stopped exploding around them.

"Holy shit!" Ray gasped. Just those two words had him straining for air again.

"We're alive," Kurt said.

"Barely," Yukiko added.

They all laughed at this, but the relieved moment was short-lived as they rose to their feet and observed the devastation. A last, low rumble of the earth echoed through the streets as if some beast was satisfied with its meal.

* * *

Around them many of the buildings showed signs of damage, but the infrastructure seemed to be stable. Some stone and debris littered the street and many of the other buildings were exposed to the open air with their windows shattered.

Other survivors began to gather around them. Ray, Yukiko, and Kurt followed the dazed group of strangers up the hill winding through various shops and dwellings.

They all let out a gasp at the scene before them as they reached the top of the hill.

Ray recognized the large stone building that was now half gone. In its place was a flaming crater that was still gradually extending outward and consuming other teetering buildings bordering it. The wall of the main headquarters of the Grand Hunters guild had vanished and the remaining defenses of its east wing slowly slid down the side of the crater like a consuming whirlpool.

Someone in the crowd pointed to the far end of the crater. "Who are those guys?"

At the edge of the crater emerged a group of individuals in white masks with ink designs etched on one half. Even from the far distance, Ray, Yukiko, and Kurt recognized those masks: Depths Legion.

"Weird coincidence huh," Kurt commented upon seeing the enemy guild members.

One of the masked Players threw his head back and planted his hands on his hips. A couple of the others were pointing at sections of the crater, seemingly engrossed in conversation.

Then there was the one who stood at the helm of the group. He gazed up from the crater and picked out Ray from the crowd. Ray could feel his eyes on him despite the mask that covered the Legion member's features. Ray wasn't sure how he knew, but he felt those unseen eyes prying into his.

The masked Player gave him what would have seemed like a friendly wave and a thumbs-up.

"Erenheim," Ray growled.

Yukiko and Kurt regarded Ray with a shocked look as the hate spilled from his mouth.

Those so-called Masked Ones were with Depths Legion. They were the ones who were after the universal code made by Takamura. They knew what was at stake in this virtual world. They knew how real it was. And they had just made it clear the lengths they were willing to go to accomplish their goal. Ray couldn't imagine how they could possibly pull something like this off at such an early stage in the game. The destruction was on the scale of a complete catastrophe. And the death.

If this was really their doing, then they had just knowingly killed hundreds of innocent people.

Ray eyed his comrades. Kurt gritted his teeth and balled his hands into trembling fists. Even Yukiko betrayed her emotion as she bit her lower lip along with one of her hands clenching and releasing instinctively.

The three Players glared mute as the Masked Ones departed. Ray wondered if the same thought had hit Yukiko and Kurt.

This was the declaration of war.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Fluorestris (Outskirts)**

**In-Game Timer: Day 20**

**5:00 PM**

A hooded figure in black sat amongst the hills that skirted the east side of Fluorestris. He observed the smoke that was now faint from the aftermath of the destruction that the city suffered. It was beyond anything he had anticipated. But it was not yet out of control.

He stared at the teal band of the makeshift personal database he wore on his wrist. The thing felt so foreign, yet familiar at the same time. He couldn't quite place it. Was it even really his to begin with?

_I wonder. _

He rested his hand over one of the three slots of the database's underside and a small disc ejected. He flipped the disc between his fingertips for a moment before placing it in the small pouch attached to his waist. He pulled out another similar disc and inserted it in place of the other. A menu opened with the database's holographic screen and an empty bar appeared. A line of white light emerged from one side and filled the bar within seconds. A message reading: _Update Complete_ appeared and he exited from the menu.

The man did not move to acknowledge the presence that now stood behind him.

The other individual stood silently as he gazed over the landscape.

"Is it out of hand yet?" the second man finally asked, his voice muffled by the cowl that covered the lower half of his face.

The hooded man sat silent for a time before answering, "Not yet."

"Not yet? Not a reassuring choice of words."

"It is inevitable. Soon the Players and monsters will have full control of their fates."

"And what of the other world?"

The hooded man did not answer.

"First Caramoc Cove and now here. You have taken great risk. They will kill you if they find out you have been meddling with other worlds."

"I have done nothing worthy of their attention."

"Not _yet_ at least."

The hooded man couldn't suppress a smirk at the repetition of the word.

"At first it was about their story. Now, it has become something so much more. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this," the hooded man said.

The other man regarded him curiously and waited for him to continue. The rest of his comrade's statement brought more questions than answers.

"Ah, how I love this world. I have fears, but they are accompanied by hope, however dim it may be."

A wind blew in from the direction of the city and whipped the man's cloak back. He looked down at the dark armor as it reflected the light from the setting sun. He found it interesting how something created so dark could bring about a counterpart with such a direct contrast.

He rose and turned to his friend who stood staring at him bewildered.

"Soon the Age of Monsters will end. It's successor will be the Age of Players."

The other man closed his eyes as he sensed his friend's growing sadness. "And then?"

The cloaked man sighed and shook his head. "The Age of Dragons. May my fears be realized."

He opened his database again and opened the logout sub-menu. "Good luck, _Puzzle and Dragons_..."


	19. Chapter 18- Warriors

**A/N: Wait, what? A chapter? A chapter has been uploaded. Well about time. Yes, this is a new long-awaited chapter. Another one is on the way as well and a stable upload schedule accompanies it since school has winded down. I only have twelve more credits to go for my degree. This means more time to write what I enjoy. **

**A big thanks to everyone for the support on the story so far and I hope you are enjoying it. It's been quite a project so far.**

* * *

_"It is not enough to just cut off the head? Good. Now I have an excuse to demolish the body." -Siegfried_

**Chapter 18: Warriors**

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Teril Outskirts**

**In-Game Timer: Day 20**

**4:27 PM**

Siegfried deflected another spear of caricthmian metal that launched from the floating ring behind the Divine Queen's back. The battle against Hera had felt one-sided since the beginning. The dark ring bent to Hera's will and overwhelmed from all sides. Whenever the sword and lance wielders attempted to move in to strike their enemy, a lime-green barrier would suddenly manifest itself to absorb their attacks. It was now clear that the barrier sucked in the force of their damage and redirected them straight back.

But perhaps soon the fight would turn in their favor. Siegfried was aware of the effects of the event known as the Reversion upon the god monsters. Luckily, Siegfried and Cu Chulain were not considered god types. They still retained their power with the arrival of the Players. The barrier's strength also seemed to be waning. The barrier was not emitting nearly as much force after their strikes.

Siegfried was damn sure that his attacks weren't getting any weaker. His blood boiled and adrenaline pumped as he received the privilege of entering a fight for his life. There was no better feeling than life being held in the hands of skill and force.

Cu Chulain landed beside him as he redirected another spear of metal that retreated back to the circle behind the grinning Hera.

Cu Chulain beckoned for Siegfried to withdraw back a few steps. Siegfried reluctantly complied.

"Her barrier is weakening." Cu Chulain pointed at a section of the barrier that remained visible. The swirls on the surface of the shield were muffled by a dark green plume as if the protective shell had sprung a leak.

"Good. Now maybe we can actually have a real fight."

Hera extended a hand in their direction and all of the spikes surrounding the metal circle launched forward. They bent in random directions to confuse the two knights.

"What do you take me for?" Siegfried shouted.

He twisted his broadsword at a perfect angle to intercept three of the metal spears simultaneously. He batted aside a fourth with an armored wrist while burying another under a metal foot. Cu Chulain matched his precision and allowed more of the spears to scrape along the pole of his weapon, forcing the projectiles to change their destination and puncture harmlessly in the ground. He tilted his head to the side to avoid the final attack that buried deep into a tree to the rear.

Siegfried batted aside the lengths of metal and charged straight for Hera with his broadsword leveled at shoulder height. Hera's circle of spears seemed disoriented since they shared a direct mind link with her.

"Wide open!"

Siegfried drove his sword into the barrier. It emerged with a brilliant green light that soon pulsed crimson as a portion of the shielding shattered like glass. The energy absorbed by the barrier could no longer be maintained and shot out in a multitude of directions. A pulsing beam grazed along Siegfried's shoulder as the rest sailed into the sky or exploded into the dirt, creating an erupting volcano of earth and rock.

Siegfried pushed forward unfazed as he cleared the spewing dust with his broadsword. Hera stood before him with arms crossed in a defensive stance and her armored tail embedded in the rock. The circle of metal surrounding her did not stir.

He would cut through her like a knife through rice paper. He knew she was nothing special in an up-close encounter, and all of her defenses were down.

At least, that's what he thought.

"Initiate active skill _Ultra Gravity!_" Hera shouted.

An invisible weight overcame Siegfried's limbs and he soon found himself collapsing hard to the ground flat on his face. He gasped as his face collided with the inside of his helmet. With all of the remaining strength in his limbs he brought his hands underneath him and slowly rose through the invisible weight that piled on him. He could feel his health and strength draining away at a steady pace.

"Gah! What a cheap skill." He curled his fingers around the handle of his sword and plunged the blade into the ground for assistance.

He lifted his head and saw Hera with her arms extended forward, brow furrowed in deep concentration as she fought to keep him down. Off to Siegfried's side was Cu Chulain dragging himself forward as he moved to retrieve his own weapon.

"Impressive," Hera mused as the two warriors managed to plant their feet beneath them.

Siegfried and Cu Chulain felt a relief from their trembling legs as the weight on their shoulders began to dissipate. Even though the devastating active skill had drained a portion of their health, they felt a sense of invigoration in their bodies as the air around them returned to normal gravity. It was like swinging a weapon that was far too heavy in order for another to feel lighter.

The metal ring began to retract its spears as Hera broke her concentration away from the fading active skill.

"Both sides!" Cu Chulain shouted.

Siegfried rushed off to the right while Cu Chulain made his way to the left. A few of the caricthmian spears had returned to the circle behind Hera and shot outwards to slow the enemy advance, but the two warriors dodged them with ease since the spears' focus was on two targets. There also weren't as many to deal with at the moment. A brief, yet sufficient, moment.

Siegfried reached Hera first and brought his sword high over his head.

"Checkmate bi-"

He was interrupted by Hera's extended hand. "Initiate active skill _Jupiter Genesis_!"

"What?" A burst of powdery essence emerged in the space around Hera's hand and enveloped the blue knight.

Siegfried swung wildly with his sword to clear the particles that threatened to suffocate him.

Cu Chulain halted his attack on Hera in favor of tackling his partner out of the cloud of poison. The two warriors hit the ground and were up on their feet as they tucked into a shoulder roll. They stayed low with one knee to the ground and a foot planted in a solid stance.

Once again Hera had thrown them a curve ball. Just when it seemed like she was out of tricks, a new one emerged from her unseen arsenal to impede their progress.

A wicked grin was splayed on Hera's face, full of a malicious intent that hadn't been there previous. It seemed unnaturally vicious.

Her expression wasn't all that had changed. Her once red and brown hair had now shifted tone and took on a green hue much like the barrier that had once surrounded her. Her grin wavered only for an instant as the circle of metal behind her began to shift and break down. The metal crumpled inwards and bent like aluminum foil. The ring was soon replaced by glorious blue butterfly wings that exploded from her back. She had undergone a dramatic transformation. Her dark circlet was replaced with jagged horns. A verdant tale replaced the black armored caricthmian. Even her skin tone had changed to a light cerulean.

Cu Chulain was the first to act as the new Hera beat her wings and assaulted them in a powerful gust of wind. He pushed Siegfried aside as the ground erupted beneath them to make way for massive roots that whipped wildly side to side.

Siegfried was up and already bringing his sword back to cut through the roots that attempted to knock him to the ground. His eyes widened as the incredible broadsword dug only a few inches into one of the roots.

_Impossible._ Siegfried was left for only time to think that one word before another root struck him from his blind side. A second one was there to intercept his flung body. It lashed upwards and brought itself down on Siegfried's exposed back, driving him into the ground hard. Siegfried gasped as his chestplate cracked from the force of the blow. The pain in his chest was enough to let him know that wasn't all that had broken.

Cu Chulain was next to him in an instant to slice through a pair of roots that slithered along the ground to deal further damage to the other wounded knight. The violent roots backed away as they became aware that they were vulnerable to this enemy's weapon.

Cu Chulain helped Siegfried to his feet. "She has shifted attribute," he observed. "She is no longer dark but wood."

"Well that's new," Siegfried said through gritted teeth. He hunched over for a split-second as the pain in his chest intensified.

Their attention shifted as the new Hera laughed hysterically. It was a maddening laugh.

"Aw hell yeah!" she shouted. "Beorc is free!"

The other Hera cocked her head to the side and licked her lips. "Been a while since I've seen action. Make it last a little while alright?"

She frowned for a moment as she prepared to order her loyal roots forward. Siegfried and Cu Chulain shared a curious glance as she stood there. She looked at the sky for a short while and sagged her shoulders.

"Seriously?" she said to what seemed like no one in particular.

Another silence followed.

Siegfried glanced at Cu Chulain who shrugged at a loss. Was it some kind of ruse? Likely not. Nevertheless, the two warriors found themselves frozen in place as they observed Hera having what appeared to be an exchange with herself.

"Hell no!" she yelled out of nowhere. "Do not let her out!"

More silence.

"I know that! I can handle this myself!"

…

"Fine! I get it. Whatever."

Siegfried and Cu Chulain flinched as Hera extended her hand in their direction again. "Initiate active skill _Kiss of Demonic Fire Queen!"_

Hera furrowed her brow. Nothing happened. She shook her hand a few times as if the spell was stuck on her palm like molasses.

Siegfried looked to Cu Chulain as she let out a stream of curses.

"Is she out of magic?"

Cu Chulain shook his head. "Doubtful. I have no idea what's going on, but we should take full advantage of it."

"Let's."

The two knights rushed at the bewildered Hera who was now having another conversation with herself.

"Hell no! I am not using that active skill. It's stupid...Quit it! They're attacking us!...You stay out of this Sowilo. You're useless anyway!...Fine, I'll say it!"

Hera straightened her arm once again with palm outward. "Initiate active skill..." she paused for a moment and took a deep breath as she dreaded what she was about to say next. _"Ur Fever!"_

The two enemies standing in front of her were forced to break to either side as a blast of fire erupted from her hand. It started out in a wide stream and soon broke off into multiple balls of fire that exploded as they made contact with anything in their path. One of these directed itself at Cu Chulain who did not expect it to have a second method of attack. The ball of fire barely grazed his shoulder, but it was enough contact for it to detonate and consume his form. He screamed in pain as the fire sought out the creases in his armor and burned through. Being a wood attribute, Cu Chulain received the full force of the attack due to it being his weakness. The fire made contact with his skin and burst outward, tearing some of his armor asunder to expose his burnt flesh underneath. He rolled on the ground until he collapsed next to a tree stunted by one of Hera's previous attacks.

He lay there motionless as Siegfried stared on helpless. The roots had resumed their crazed attack on the water attribute knight. Two roots wrapped around one of his ankles while a third immobilized his weapon-hand. The roots grew smaller tendrils that began to encroach upon him. Siegfried could feel his strength draining as they pulled at the openings of his armor.

_Not good. _Siegfried swung his broadsword at a root that latched onto his ankle. The root finally split after a few expert cuts in the same exposed wound.

Using pure strength, Siegfried freed himself of the roots and retreated to where Cu Chulain lay still as stone.

Siegfried readied himself in front of his fallen comrade and analyzed Hera.

Once again, she had undergone another physical transformation. Half of her hair had now turned into a fiery orange. Behind her was a new circle of caricthmian metal that accompanied her blue butterfly wings. This ring of metal was not dark but more akin to the brightened color of her hair.

Hera twirled about on one foot with a hand lifted in the air enthusiastically. She turned and brought her foot down and formed a horizontal peace sign over one eye as she smiled wide.

"Aw yeah! Hera-Ur is in dah house!"

Her joyous expression changed as quickly as it had arrived to be replaced by an abrupt scowl. She crossed her arms and spat on the ground.

"Ur, piss off! This is my fight. Just give me your fire and stay out of this."

Her expression switched back once again to that cheerful grin. "Oh I don't think so. I've been cooped up as much as you. I deserve a chance to fight! Yay!"

"You're just getting in the way!"

"No I'm not!"

"You're a headache!"

Siegfried stared at Hera in disbelief as he watched her argue with herself. Did she have a dual personality? No. It seemed like she had three. Neither of these two were like the original Hera. They even had a different attribute to accompany their personality. Which meant that they had the ability to exploit any attribute weakness at will. However, judging by their arguing, it was apparent that these multiple personalities didn't get along.

Siegfried lifted one of Cu Chulain's arms over his shoulders and began to make his retreat to the forest. He couldn't believe his luck as the two Heras continued their argument.

* * *

**Seattle, Washington**

**United States**

**May 26, 2020**

**Real World Time- 9:00 AM**

Thomas Malkin was in a hurry. It wasn't just the news he had received was disheartening, but that it was fascinating as well. It also came from the most reputable source in the whole facility, Christopher Alsheimer, head of World Virtual Visions.

He almost bumped into a female supervisor as he hastily rounded a corner. All he took note of was her title on the nametag stuck to her gray suit. Supervisors of the Players. It was best not to get in their way since they ensured the safe logout of Players from the virtual world.

He gave the female an apologetic salute as he entered the elevator that would take him up to the floor designated for Alsheimer's people. Alsheimer had insisted on a section of the facility for just himself and his closest employees so they could analyze the universal code undisturbed. Alsheimer had been adamant about this requirement following their previous _conversation _with Kurosaki about how the whole PADW project could very likely be a lost cause.

But Malkin knew that if anyone could crack the code, it was Alsheimer, the virtual prodigy.

Malkin pressed his thumb harder than necessary against the scanner and the elevator sounded its approval. The minute it took to reach his destination felt more like an hour and he angled himself out of the elevator before the spreading doors even had time to slide out of place.

He pulled one of many keycards from his wallet and slid it through the scanner and rocked back and forth on his feet as he waited for the green light to allow him entry.

No response.

Frustrated, he banged on the metal door and shouted his name. He looked up at the security camera mounted in a corner facing the door and made an exasperated shrugging gesture at whoever was in the security station watching him.

A mechanical voice sounded from an unseen speaker, _"Security clearance denied. Access limited to WVV associates. Please contact a WVV associate with security clearance of rank S in the designated WVV department of real/virtual integration."_

Malkin couldn't help but laugh. Typical Alsheimer. He had hacked into the security network for this section of the building and overrode it with his own security measures. It was only possible with someone of his rank and the fact that he was admitted into nearly every sector. But the kid was a genius. No chances were being taken.

Off to the side was a corded phone mounted into the wall with a closed line. He picked up the phone and was met with an automatic ringtone linking him to who he hoped would be Alsheimer. It would be a major pain in the ass if he had to go through a hierarchy of calls.

A familiar voice spoke after a few rings, "Sorry Malkin. I see you now. Door's opening."

"Thank you kindly," Malkin said.

He hung up the phone and a whirring sound reached his ears from the door and then it opened with a metallic hiss.

He was greeted by Alsheimer who urged him inside.

"A little excessive don't you think?" Malkin commented as they made their way through a series of labs.

"You know me. Paranoid." Alsheimer sounded haggard. The bags under his eyes told Malkin enough.

"You could get in trouble for making your own security. Not to mention you forced out the ones that were in place."

"And what are they going to do? Replace me?"

Malkin shrugged. It was a fair point.

They entered a final lab in the back of the workplace that Malkin assumed was Alsheimer's personal area. Over a dozen computers were mounted on the walls running a variety of system inspections and analysis of what appeared to be the universal code. At the center of the room was a holographic projector of a familiar mass of land. It was the virtual world. Pirugan.

The holographic image of Pirugan continued to shift and change in subtle ways that only an inhuman observation like Malkin's could pick up.

Malkin's thoughts were interrupted as Alsheimer slapped a rectangular object on the hologram table. Malkin picked it up and read the label on the other side: _SATA 6Gb/s, 5TB...2X DRAM cache..._

"Pretty old hard drive," Malkin said. "What for?"

"Using anything bigger would have yielded results much slower."

"Alright. Fill me in."

Alsheimer was about to speak when one of the computer monitors mounted on the wall began flashing until it submitted to a blue screen. The young CEO scowled and opened a command prompt to fix the issue. Thirty seconds later the computer was running again, but Alsheimer bit his lower lip in frustration nonetheless.

"We have bigger problems. This is beyond just the code," Alsheimer said.

Malkin waited patiently for him to continue, but he found his mouth had gone dry.

Alsheimer grabbed a number of documents from his desk. He minimized the hologram of Pirugan on the center table and placed the documents next to each other. Some were black and white photos riddled with handwritten notes while others were packets of complicated information.

"Remember I mentioned digital organisms to Kurosaki?"

Malkin nodded.

"Well, he was right. Digital organisms wouldn't do a damn thing. It isn't because of the code itself but the program that runs it. Not only is the universal code evolving, but the program that harbors it is as well."

"So the program is updating itself?"

Alsheimer slapped the table as Malkin caught on. "Exactly." He flipped through a document and pointed at what appeared to be a timeline. "Here's what I've gathered based on my observations. In 1961, Bell Labs creates a game known as _Darwin._ The point of the game was for computer programs to compete with each other to prevent the others from executing operations." Alsheimer pointed to another document. "This is taken further when programs were put into a game called _Core War_."

"I remember that." Malkin picked up the document and scanned over it to refresh his memory. "It was a war for programs to essentially kill each other."

Alsheimer nodded. "In a sense. A man named Rasmussen goes further with it and implements a genetic algorithm to automatically write programs."

"So is that what we are seeing here?"

"Not exactly. Rasmussen ran into issues with mutations in the programs that caused them to self-destruct over time. Others have since improved upon the problem, but there haven't been any real solutions since around 2010."

Malkin began to understand where Alsheimer was going with this. Takamura. What a goddamm genius.

Alsheimer saw the look on Malkin's face and took it as his cue to move on with the explanation. "Watch this."

He walked over to three monitors. He adjusted the full motion mounts they were attached to so that they were beside each other.

He pointed to the two on the outside. "These two." And then he placed his hand on the center one. "Are going to fight this one. The one in the middle has a simulation of Takamura's program while the other two are using separate, and vastly different, independent programs. These two will attempt to sabotage and kill Takamura's program."

"Where are the other two from?"

Alsheimer made a humorless smile. "One is mine and the other is from a colleague within my company. Ready for the simulation?"

Malkin took in a deep breath. He couldn't help but feel anxious. It was one computer against two, but by Alsheimer's tone, he didn't hold out much hope for the one's attempting to enslave Takamura's program. But what happened next went beyond his expectations.

It was immediate. The two computers running Alsheimer's programs shut down and the coding on the central computer began its work at an alarming rate.

_So fast?_

Malkin gasped as the other two computers whirred back to life and went to work again. But something seemed different.

Then it dawned on Malkin. _No way! This isn't possible!_

Alsheimer sighed. "Yeah, I think you understand my frustration now."

"This isn't possible," Malkin said as he found his voice. "How can a single program enslave two others in such a short amount of time?"

Alsheimer didn't answer as he shifted four more computers on their mounts and brought them closer to the trio. Alsheimer disabled the enslaved programs and went to work establishing them with their previous ones.

He then looked to Malkin for confirmation. "Ready?"

Malkin stared at him dumbfounded. It was now six against one. He already knew what the result would be, but he still had to see for himself.

Alsheimer didn't wait for his affirmation and initiated the war that would be waged. The same thing happened. All of the computers except for the one harboring Takamura's program went blank. Then they whirred to life just as in the previous experiment and ran familiar processes. Takamura's program had enslaved the other six in the same amount of time as making two subservient.

Malkin stared at Alsheimer mouth agape. "What does this all mean?"

Alsheimer shrugged. "Right now I can only speculate. But I can say with almost absolute certainty that this program is not just a program anymore."

Malkin stared at the documents that were still in his hand. Now that he had skimmed over its contents, he remembered exactly where this was leading.

"Biological properties," he concluded.

"That's right."

"Why would Takamura leave behind nothing? He has a program and a code that evolves at such a rate and has defenses so powerful that nobody could ever hope to match it. And if it is evolving as I'm seeing here." He nodded to the monitors. "Then that means it is consuming more and more space."

Alsheimer tapped the hard drive on the table. "I knew you would see it my way."

The way Malkin saw it there were four possible outcomes to address: 1) Takamura really didn't leave anything behind for anyone to continue the project. Which seemed highly unlikely. Why create something like this with no backups when he knew he was going to soon be defeated by his cancer? 2) He hid it away somewhere for some strange reason without anyone's knowledge. Again, not likely. Why hide something when you have the ability to completely wipe it? One could even dump it to the bottom of the ocean. 3) He had entrusted it to another third-party. This one might be worthy of consideration. All the major corporations kept tabs on each other in this day and age ever since the collapse of major governments. Malkin did have one theory regarding this possibility. And then there was 4...

"I think Kurosaki might be full of shit," Malkin said.

Alsheimer sat on the edge of his desk and planted his hands to either side of him for support. "I'm starting to think so too."

"You don't just dedicate your life to something like this for it to go unfinished."

Alsheimer then said something that took Malkin off guard, "Unless you fear it."

"Why fear a virtual world?"

Alsheimer rose from the desk and minimized one of the processes on the computer. In its position was a scene taking place in a setting they were both becoming familiar with. Two knights in heavy green and blue armor trudged through a forest. They had sustained some grievous wounds and took refuge behind an outcropping of rock. The volume on the monitor was not on, but they could tell that the two knights were in heated discussion.

"I really don't know," Alsheimer answered.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Teril Outskirts**

**In-Game Timer: Day 20**

**4:40 PM**

Siegfried lowered is shoulder and allowed Cu Chulain to support his own weight. The green lance wielder's burns were sever. Siegfried could tell by the scorch marks that traced the creases in his partner's armor. They settled behind an outcropping of rock. They knew their reprieve would be short-lived. Once Hera was finished arguing with herself (or to whoever else it was) she would be able to find them in no time from the trail left behind. It wouldn't take a genius to observe the forest and figure out which direction they went.

Cu Chulain let out a low groan as he removed a section of his armor that connected at the shoulder and bicep. The piece of metal stuck in place for a moment before it lacked the will to resist any longer against his skin. Underneath, the skin glowed a nasty red with splotches of cracks and peels. This was the center of the pain, which came as relief to both of the knights. There were other more vital areas where the fire could have pierced deeper.

"Is your active skill ready?" Cu Chulain asked as he fitted the armor back in place.

Siegfried nodded. "Ready whenever."

"The timing has to be perfect."

"Oh yes. I know."

With that last word, the instincts of the knights kicked in and they jumped to the side just in time as a massive root burst from the ground in an attempt to skewer them. They stuck close to each other so that one could defend the side of the other. Another root attempted to pierce their formation down the center, but the knights angled their weapons together to redirect the projectile out of harm's way.

This same process was carried out for at least another minute until they located the divine queen hunkered down in a concealed copse of trees. They burst from the forest like rampaging beasts. Their minds were cleared of everything save for the movements of the other. They needed perfect synchronization if they wanted to carry out their plan. If one succeeded while the other failed, then it would be the same as getting the flat of a blade to the throat. Hera wasn't stupid. She would figure it out before she launched another attack.

Hera placed both her hands together and a fireball charged forward at the same time as a group of roots spiraled through the air towards their targets.

"Now!" Cu Chulain shouted.

Siegfried was already getting into position before Cu Chulain even announced the opportunity. The two warriors went shoulder to shoulder and extended their weapons forward together. They waited a perfect two seconds together before shouting, "Initiate active skill _Vigor of Warfare!_"

The weapons disconnected and halted their respective attacks. The roots meant to cut through Siegfried halted in mid-strike. They began to dissolve into particles of data which disappeared inside Siegfried's broadsword. Cu Chulain's weapon mimicked this technique against Hera's fire. The glowing particles soon traveled down their weapons and inserted themselves into the wielder's hands. It didn't stop their. Particles from Hera's attacks proceeded down the arm, then to the main body, and soon throughout the entirety of their armor. Then the particles went even further still and inserted themselves upon the very being of the knights.

When the light faded, a distinct physical conversion had embedded itself on the knights. Siegfried's armor still maintained its dark cerulean color, but now green, swirling and sharp designs roamed along its surface. Cu Chulain's was similar with his green armor, but with deep orange patterns that mimicked Siegfried's.

Hera stared at them in surprise as the particles of data finished the infusion.

Siegfried leveled his weapon. "Thanks for the new attribute."

* * *

Hera gritted her teeth as she observed the confidence that had been rekindled in her two enemies. There was more to their active skill than met the eye. They had drained the attribute of her attacks somehow. Cu Chulain now possessed her fire with his own wood attribute while Siegfried was similar and possessed her own wood attribute for himself. But what more was there?

She spoke to the two Heras that now had control of her body, "What do you sense?"

Hera-Ur didn't answer. She just bit her nails. Hera-Beorc had a crazed expression filled with delight at this new development.

"How about you Sowilo?" She decided to inquire about this new issue with one of her personalities that was a little more level-headed.

The other Hera, Hera-Sowilo, answered calmly, "It is clear they have drained their weaknesses and applied them."

"Indeed," another Hera, who had been quiet up until now, concurred. "But it is not merely a weak sub-attribute I am sensing. They have turned their weaknesses into their own primary attribute."

"Two primary attributes. So they have evened the playing field," the original Hera concluded.

So that was the active skill of the two knights. It was not just their own abilities to coordinate that prevented them from being struck by their weaknesses. Their bond had developed so deep that an active skill was born to preserve themselves and their ally. It was a dangerous active skill that rivaled her own. But...

"Let's see if it is just a defense mechanism," Hera suggested to the two Heras that controlled her body.

Hera-Beorc grinned. "Aw hell yeah. Things are getting interesting."

She extended her hand and over a dozen roots burst forth all around her and whipped through the air. "Entertain me some more boys!" The roots launched themselves forward at Hera's command. They had a strange fixation with Siegfried despite his new defense against attribute weakness.

"Who are you calling boy?" Siegfried shouted as he cut through the roots with his broadsword. One clean and precise slice was all he needed to render the attack of the roots useless. He dug his feet into the ground like a runner preparing for a three-hundred meter sprint and pressed forward with his broadsword at the helm.

The other Hera, Hera-Ur, took over briefly. "_Ur Fever_!"

The fireballs managed to force Siegfried to redirect his course to the side to buy the Heras some more time.

This plan was foiled as Cu Chulain took a position at her blindside. Hera-Ur rekindled another round of fire streaks in his direction which he sliced through as cleanly as Siegfried had with the roots.

"_This is bad," _the Heras thought in unison.

Hera's main ability was to attack from long-range to stay out of harm's way and to exploit any of the weaknesses of her opponents. Without either she was aware that she stood no chance. But at least one of her goals would be realized with the conclusion of this fight. It wasn't a monster's title that made them powerful. Being a god or devil type was truly a display of power granted to those with uncanny ability. But being of these types meant little in the long run. These two knights had proven that.

"_It's time we make preparations for our escape," _Hera thought.

"No! Hell no!" Hera-Beorc shouted. "This is just getting fun."

"_I am in agreement with the first notion,"_ one of the Heras related to the others. "_This battle is lost, even if we did avoid the Reversion."_

All of the Heras agreed to a plan of retreat, save for Beorc who still had the adrenaline of the fight pumping to her head. It was a struggle to suppress Beorc, but the original Hera took over her own body once again and regained her initial form. Her dark circle of caricthmain armor and spikes now floated behind her once again. Her hair had returned back to its original hue of darkened red and brunette. The tail of black metal also now trailed behind her as she approached the baffled knights.

She placed a hand on her hip to assume an air of calm as she ran her gaze over the two knights. She could feel their intensity weighing on her.

"Well played," she said to the surprise of the two knights. "You have confirmed my suspicions."

"Mind explaining that to us?" Siegfried added emphasis by bringing his sword forward.

This gesture didn't go unnoticed. "I don't think so."

Her two enemies turned in surprise as a lance exploded from the forest to their rear and drove itself into the ground just a few feet from their previous position. Without a word, Siegfried took up a defensive stance facing the trees while Cu Chulain kept his focus on Hera. Their silent coordination fascinated Hera. To think that two warriors had become so synchronized over time was astounding. It was as if they shared one mind.

Hera diverted her attention back to the edge of the forest where her ally emerged. The monster was humanoid but held the appearance of some sort of black jackal standing on two clawed feet. Egyptian-style armor encircled his neck laced with gold and sapphire. Its armor was sparse and covered its main weak points: thighs, ankles, and wrists, areas of the body where skin was not enough to defend these vitals. Attached to its thigh armor was a pleated, broken skirt of purple linen.

The monster hefted its grand spear of spiked gold and aimed it at Siegfried's throat. It let out a low growl as Siegfried mimicked the gesture.

Hera smiled at the humanoid jackal monster. "You missed the fun."

A pair of black and lavender wings spread behind Anubis as his animal face twisted into what Hera assumed was a sneer.

Siegfried let out a low chuckle. "More surprises. Not that I'm complaining."

Everyone's attention was taken by the knowing words of Cu Chulain, "I see it now." He spared a glance at Anubis. "His strike. It is not as strong as anything I've seen from Hera, even if it was just a diversion."

Siegfried relaxed his stance as he caught on to his partner's reasoning. "Guess not all of you avoided the Reversion."

"I wonder why." Cu Chulain's intense tone had now transformed into one of curiosity.

Hera couldn't help but smile at the wise knight. "Looks like we've given a bit away as well. No matter. This isn't even a prelude for what is to come." She tilted her head at Anubis. "I think it's time we took our leave."

Siegfried's dismay at her declaration sounded familiar to Beorc's. "Aw hell no!"

"You can choose to stay and fight us if you wish." Hera pointed beyond. "Or you can defend Teril."

Siegfried froze. "Bitch." He thought back to the forces of dark mystic knights he had seen over the past few weeks.

Cu Chulain said what his partner was thinking, "Would you really show your hand so soon?"

Hera frowned. "Your call."

She knew their answer. Even if they weren't sure if her claim was a bluff or not, they couldn't take the chance. Teril had little defenses in place since it sat on the outskirts of the continent. It wasn't considered a major trading town and being so close to Dragon Territory was seen as undesirable to humans. This was one of the reasons why the knights had dedicated themselves to protecting it. It was a sort of permitted kryptonite.

The two knights glanced at each other and gave a silent assent. Without another word, the two knights broke off their engagement and rushed into the forest with Siegfried sparing a reproachful glance behind him. The end of their fight seemed anticlimactic, but much knowledge had been gained. It could have been considered the first official battle of the coming war.

* * *

Hera and Anubis exited the forest soon after the end of the battle with Siegfried and Cu Chulain. They were approaching a canyon that Hera recalled from the first war between the Guardian and Legion monsters. The two enemy monsters would discover that her claim on the attack of Teril really was a ruse and would soon make their way back to track them down. They had also been correct about Anubis.

Cu Chulain's words still resonated with her, "_Would you really show your hand so soon?"_

What did he mean by that? Sure, some of the Legion monsters had avoided the Reversion, but that was really all they had going for them at the moment.

His question weighed on her like all the others. She missed the days before everything was turned upside down. It was a strange notion, but war had once been simple and straightforward, even with the brief disruption of Beelzebub with the attack on Sarkast. The war of monsters was just that, a war between monsters. That had been dealt with unanimously between Satan and the others. He had been banished. But now the crazed devil was involved with them once again because of the appearance of the Abyssal. There were too many unknown factors to consider: The Abyssal, the involvement of the Creators and Players, the Reversion, they just kept stacking up.

Hera was removed from her thoughts as she felt the firm hand of Anubis halt her mid-step.

"What-"

"Be silent," Anubis said in a deep, unnatural voice. His words were devoid of any real command though. He lowered himself into a crouch and Hera followed.

Anubis led her to the edge of a cliff that overlooked the canyon. The ocean of black below was hard to miss.

Dark mystic knights. Hundreds of them poured from a pass to the west and marched in formation to the northeast. Soon there were thousands.

Hera heard a voice inside her head, "_What in the world?"_

It was the Hera known as Sowilo. The rest of the Heras held a silent exchange with each other.

"Do you know anything about this Anubis?" The scowl on Anubis' face was answer enough.

"Those masked Players," Anubis growled. "I never did trust them."

"You really think it's them?"

"None of these complications started until the arrival of the Players."

Hera shared his suspicions, but she did not quite share the hatred that he felt for Players. It was more of a stilted loathing. He had started hating them when he first learned of their arrival.

"Let's head back," Hera said. "We need to inform the others."

Anubis shook his head. "I must return to my Player. We have more comrades to liberate."

That was another factor. The dungeons were another mystery. The only way a monster could enter a dungeon was to have a Player. What the dungeons held was revealed, but they were still another contribution to an ever-entangling web of confusion.

Hera would return to the Castle of Satan and report these findings to her comrades. Without a doubt Satan would want to confront the masked Players about this. She also hoped Hades would be available to assist them. Maybe they would get some answers. Hopefully enough to put the masked Players and the Abyssal back on their heels.


	20. Chapter 19- Third

**A/N: Chapter is way overdue I know. I'm sorry! Please forgive me! Well, at least I was working on the next chapter at the same time as this one.**

**Once again, reviews, critiques, suggestions, (insert more synonyms) are greatly appreciated. **

**Feel free to send PMs. I like PMs. **

* * *

_"Anxiety is the beast that hunts me. Are these sensations just a clever fabrication?" -A Player_

**Chapter 19- Third**

****The Virtual World****

****Pirugan Continent, Oceanus Falls****

****In-Game Timer: Day 28****

****3:26 PM****

The pounding of the waterfall on the rocks below mixed with the sound of echoing metal. The water sucked in the clash of blades and redistributed it amongst the rising towers of stone.

The glow of Ray Andylon's sword mirrored the sun and forced itself forward through streaks of blood. It disappeared through the chest of a taur demon for a brief second before reemerging out the back of its skewered prey. As Ray whirled about, the katana was freed as smooth as it had entered flesh and came in a downward arc to slice along the chest of another demon that attempted to exploit his blind side. The sword felt like an extension, another appendage.

As the demon fell, Ray glanced over his shoulder at the cliff above and noticed a new group of monsters appear. The monsters had the lower body of a horse with the upper body humanoid. Green armor covered all portions of their bodies with a closed helmet masking their faces. The one at the front wielded a tall lance while the other monsters readied heavy crossbows.

"Centaurs!"

As soon as he shouted the warning a god monster stood in front of Ray to defend him against the inevitable hail of arrows. The god monster lifted a massive sword to protect its face, a magnificent weapon that was a mix between a swordstaff and a great sword. The monster ran its upper hand all the way up the long handle of the weapon to brace it against the flat of the wide blade.

The bolts from the centaurs' crossbows deflected off the blade and the god monster's elaborate armor that radiated like emeralds. A few bolts pierced through the creases in his armor, but he paid them no mind. As the ranged assault ended he threw his dark green cloak back behind him and rested a hand on his chest.

"Initiate active skill _Leading a Comeback_!"

The god monster felt the bolts digging into his flesh push away from his skin and the wounds sealed.

Ray gave the monster an appreciative nod. "Much obliged Liu Bei."

The god monster, Liu Bei, ran a hand through his long white hair and gave Ray a smirk. "Not a problem. Mind getting one of your friends up there?"

Ray didn't even have to say another word as a streak of yellow launched past them and flew up the cliff to dispatch the centaurs. The knight in gold sliced through the armor of the centaurs like it was butter. He stepped forward and lowered himself into a crouch as his wings came across in a side-swipe to knock some of the centaurs off the cliff where they fell down the waterfall.

"Looks like Verche has it well in hand." Ray broke his attention away from his monster partner and went to aid Kurt and his monsters who were up against a sizable group of pyro demons.

Bastet was in a harsh battle. This was the first time any of them had encountered demons of this class. An analysis from Ray's database indicated that they were at a level higher than Hellfire Pyro Demons. They were creatures that hadn't existed in the previous game. These pyro demons held a title known as _Awoken Inferno._ Their fire certainly was more intense than that of other demons.

Bastet pushed away from a slain pyro demon as another moved in with a flaming trident. The point of the trident grazed along Bastet's thigh and managed to ignite her white sheath dress. She slapped at the fire with her paws until the flame withered away.

She looked to another fellow monster who stood behind her. The other female wielded a staff in both hands that had a strange mix of crescent moons attached to its end. She was a petite girl, and the staff looked as if it was too heavy for her small frame. She stared at Bastet with a somber expression and distant eyes that seemed to not see her. It was more like they were looking through her.

"Mind healing me a bit Ceres?" Bastet shouted.

The young monster girl patted her half-dress sorceress robe even though nothing blemished its pale color. She planted the base of her staff in the ground and a light breeze picked up around her. Her white hair blew forward as the wind picked up and billowed in Bastet's direction. Lines of thin white light joined the wind and passed through Bastet.

"Initiate active skill _Shower of Healing_," Ceres said in a soft voice.

Bastet readied herself for the oncoming demon attack as the raining white settled on her wounds and stitched them together with magic energy. The demons stopped their advance and took a hesitant step back as they saw their opponent reinvigorated.

"Full health," Bastet said to the demons. She clapped her sharp paws together. "Time for round two."

There wouldn't be a second round. The demons let out a strange sound that was a mix of a squeal and a shout and they turned on their heels. They beat their wings desperately and took to the sky.

There to intercept them was another flying monster.

Ray now watched as his other monster partner cut through them with her halberd. The demons fell from the sky one by one. Leilan launched herself into the air, went into freefall, and drove her foot into the chest of the last demon until they dove into the rock below. The enemy demon instantly burst into its particles of data upon death.

The battle had only lasted a few minutes, but Ray could feel his muscles straining as his adrenaline wore off. He stared at a cut that traced down the length of his right arm and observed the blood that gathered near his elbow. He had been in this world for nearly a month of its time, and still the slight throbbing pain of his wound fascinated him. Even dabbing his fingers in the blood and slathering it on his fingertips left a powdery feel of residue much like his own world.

"Well fought."

Ray looked up and saw Yukiko with her katana resting easy on her shoulder. Her red hair was soaked and the fabric of her under-armour was drenched from when an ambushing pyro demon had flung her into the water. From the other side of the waterfall emerged Parvati riding atop her tiger, Somanandi. Liu Bei also now stood beside his female Player partner.

Ray grinned. "You too. Have a nice swim?"

It wasn't until Ray mentioned the water that she began shivering. It seemed that the effects of battle had lingered with her a bit longer.

She gripped her hair and squeezed some of the water free. "It was alright I guess."

Kurt soon joined them with Bastet and Ceres. He and Ray exchanged an enthusiastic fist bump.  
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Kurt opened up his database. "Gained a level from that and a point for the stats."

Ray was about to congratulate him when he was interrupted by the quaking of the earth. The trembling reached an upsurge on a massive scale that forced Ray to plant one of his hands on the ground to maintain his balance. When the shaking subsided they all stared in the direction of what sounded like an explosion in the distance.

It had been a little over a week since their first encounter with Depths Legion and the horrific display at the capital city. During that time, two more earthquakes had occurred followed by familiar craters.

Following the first crater, magical analysts had been sent by the authority of the princess Ray and the others had heard about when visiting the city for the first time. After a day of investigation, they had come to the conclusion that the source of the destruction was magical in nature. Another day of collecting magical residue yielded results concluding the magical energy that formed the crater was similar to that of spirit jewels. Where this magical energy came from was still a mystery. The theory was that the source was deep underground near the heart of the crater. It would take some time to place the necessary machinery into the crater to probe into the earth for the main source of magic.

Ray recalled when he had been given the fire spirit jewel from Irina Roche and her soldiers back at Millshore. If a spirit jewel really was the cause of such devastation, then how much energy did it hold? What potential did these spirit jewels have?

"Damn those guys," Kurt muttered.

"The guild will want to investigate this," Yukiko said as she made preparations in her inventory for departure. She stopped herself as her own words registered and looked to Ray apologetically. "Sorry."

Ray waved her off good-naturedly. "It's all good. Leilan, Verche, and I are planning to head to Prosell to check some things out."

Kurt crossed his arms in irritation. "I know you were against it, but I'm still going to fill you in on what's going on. No sense keeping you in the dark when it can help us with this war."

Leilan and Verche now stood next to Ray and nodded their agreement. Ray decided it was best to just give in and let events play out as they may. They were right, but he just hated having others take risks that might be unnecessary for his sake. But with an inevitable war on the horizon, necessity had become all too palpable.

Yukiko checked her wrist as an alert popped up on her database. The symbol of the Grand Hunters, the dual bows and crossbows, appeared along with an icon for a private message.

Kurt clapped a hand on Ray's shoulder. "Looks like it's about that time."

Ray nodded. "Best of luck."

After they exchanged their farewells, the two groups went in opposite directions: one to the east to the Rhea Themis temple, and the other towards the frozen soil of Prosell.

* * *

****The Virtual World****

****Pirugan Continent, Prosell****

****In-Game Timer: Day 28****

****5:32 PM****

Ray swung his katana in a downward arc. He focused on Verche's instructions as he extended his arms straight to prevent any unnecessary strain when halting the sword mid-strike.

Verche then told him to move in a circle with his stance. Ray found that a sword-wielding stance was not much different from when he was a wrestler in his world: feet shoulder-width apart, a lead leg forward, and weight distributed to the balls of his feet.

"Don't focus on your toes. The direction of your knee is what is important," Verche said as he observed Ray's stance.

Ray obeyed Verche's commands and adjusted his stance accordingly. It really was just like a wrestling stance. If a wrestler wanted to do a takedown, then he wouldn't point his knee away from the target. The same could be said of throwing a baseball. An uncontrolled knee would open a stance up and the body would not maintain motion in the direction of the throw. It would also leave the body wide open. These sorts of details were amended quickly due to his past experience.

"One other issue," Verche said. He approached Ray and moved his bottom hand down the handle of the sword until it was a short distance from the top hand. "There is no power behind your swing when your hands are together like that. You need to use the bottom hand for leverage. Your strike will be stronger, more controlled, and you will expend less energy."

Ray lowered himself into his stance once Verche had finished his explanation. He leveled his elbows and swung the katana in a diagonal strike. It was true. The bottom of the handle settled into the palm of his lower hand comfortably and it was far easier to bring his sword up to its ready position for another strike.

Verche addressed Leilan, who was sitting on a short, crumbling separating wall off to the side. "Looks like we have a natural."

Leilan nodded without a word as she bore her focus into Ray. It was fascinating how he was able to make so many adjustments at once after just being told a few times. Sure, there were some other issues that might present themselves such as rising out of the stance slightly when stepping forward, but he seemed to catch himself on his own when he noticed his own energy being applied wastefully to certain parts of the body.

She remembered reading something about this in Metatron's book. Leilan wished she was here to confirm this.

Ray sheathed his katana when Verche brought the training session to an end.

Ray had told Yukiko and Kurt that there was something they wanted to explore in the area, which was somewhat true, but there really wasn't anything specific. He wasn't the type of person to seek pity. It was a devaluing gesture in his opinion even though that wasn't its intended purpose.

"Well, shall we go?" Leilan asked.

Ray moved to follow her when he noticed that Verche remained still. The knight's rigid stance was noticeable even with his bulky armor.

"Verche? What's up?" Ray tried to make out what had caught Verche's attention judging by the direction of his helmet's visor.

Without a word, Verche approached a crumbling building and ran his hand over its splintered oak door. He traced what seemed to be purposeful rivets and indentations that came together to form a faded image.

Ray and Leilan were now next to him scrutinizing the carved image. Ray could tell that the image on the door was in the shape of a bird, an owl to be more precise. There was also something etched into its breast, but it was difficult to make out from the cork of the oak bark.

Verche stepped back from the door to take in the entirety of the structure. He placed an armored finger under the chin of his helmet as he put the pieces of evidence together that he compiled in his head.

Finally, he turned to Leilan for confirmation. "This looks like an attempt to mask the actual age of the symbol. What are your thoughts?"

Leilan ran her hand over the symbol as well and then did the same with the other hand on the stone of the structure. She stared at her hands and nodded her affirmation. "Indeed. But who would interfere with a place like this? This town was destroyed decades ago during the war. Perhaps..."

She trailed off as she observed Ray entering the demolished building. He crouched down and ran his hand back and forth through the dirt that covered the floor. It appeared that the effects of his stats gained from leveling up were kicking in with his focus on increased perception. He made his way to the center of the small area. He froze when his hand wiped away a pile of dirt near a far corner.

A familiar symbol accompanied with a trail of straight lines was etched into the ground. The meaning of this pair of messages registered immediately.

_A dungeon, _Ray thought.

But it wasn't just any dungeon. It was a dungeon in the _special_ category of dungeons. They were dungeons that could hold valuable materials, rare secrets about the world, or...

Ray whirled about as Verche let out a groan and grabbed at his head. He fell to one knee and took in one strained breath after another. If one didn't know better, it was like his helmet was suffocating him.

Verche's shoulders trembled as he lifted his other hand to ward off Leilan, who attempted to remove his helmet. She looked to Ray who shared a worried, confused look with her.

"I-I'm fine," Verche said after what felt like a pained eternity. He stared at where Ray had found the symbols in the dirt. "The dungeon, it seems it hasn't given up on me."

"The dungeon?" Ray felt he knew what Verche was talking about, but he needed to hear it straight from him.

"The presence that once controlled me," Verche explained. "It's reaching out to me, trying to draw me under its influence again."

"So this is..." Leilan trailed off as the truth of what lay below them sunk in.

Verche nodded. "There is a monster in there most likely. A monster that is experiencing the same feeling of powerlessness."

"Then we need to enter it," Leilan said.

"I-I don't know about this." Ray counted the tally marks in the ground one more time to make sure he hadn't gotten the number wrong.

Leilan regarded him with a frown. "Why?"

Ray used his fingers to count as if to convince himself that he was still wrong in his number. The same amount came up. He hadn't seen the diagonal line that cut across the other four lines next to the symbol. So there were a total of five lines.

"This is a mythical dungeon. It is one of the highest levels a dungeon can reach. That means the enemies we face in there will be ridiculously powerful."

The disappointment in Leilan's voice was impossible to miss. "Are you comparing it to that mockery of a game you used to play? I thought by now you'd realized that this world is different. It is our own power, skill, and confidence that determines the tide of battle."

Leilan's words cut through Ray like an icy sharp wind. It wasn't just the harsh reasoning she laid out, but how she said it. It was a blow that rendered his prepared counter-argument useless. Because she was right. Confidence. She had hammered it into him when they had fought to save Verche, but once again, just like in his own world, he had reverted back to the anxiety that handicapped him.

He allowed himself just another few seconds to think. If they entered this dungeon, which was most likely beyond their current abilities, then there was a chance that he could die. He would respawn at another location to continue traveling the world, but he would lose much of the experience he had worked so hard for towards his level. However, the alternative of not entering the dungeon could be worse. What if someone else found it and managed to defeat the dungeon? What if a member of Depths Legion conquered the dungeon and grew in strength with a new monster added to their team? Or even worse, what if the monster imprisoned by the dungeon was a Guardian monster? Could Depths Legion take that monster as a prisoner?

Ray put an end to the questions that overflowed in his head by stomping his foot on the symbols in the dirt. Lines of white light etched themselves into the ground and connected to form a square which slid away to reveal a stairway that led below.

Ray decided then and there that his own mind was a true double-edged sword. In order to remove the edge that cut him, he would dull it. He would accomplish this by allowing Leilan to become his reasoning. He made this ultimatum as he took the first step down into the darkness.

He noticed that Leilan and Verche stood rooted in place dumbstruck by his sudden change in demeanor. Soon Leilan's expression softened into a smile and Verche nodded with approval.

Verche clapped a hand on Ray's shoulder. Seeing Ray's new-found confidence had fueled him. Even he had begun to succumb to the influence of the dungeon as his composure faltered. But now, seeing Ray like this, a human stuck in a foreign world, brimming with spirit, he felt foolish for having let an old enemy cause him to falter.

Verche moved to lead the way. "Well then, shall we?"

* * *

It didn't take long for the narrow passages to open up into a massive cavern. What struck them first was how smooth the roof of the cavern was and how the walls angled in a ramped arc that leveled upwards at a sharp slant into a number of balconies. The roof was fashioned much like the domes Ray had seen when he attended professional indoor sporting events in his world.

These weren't the only characterizations that indicated the cavern was man-made in nature (or monster-made). Below the balconies, the stone moved towards the center of the cavern floor in an even stair-like arrangement that circled the entire area. At the last step, a wall reached downward about twenty feet, making it impossible to reach the top climbing by hand. The flat floor of the cavern that remained was a generous size of a few acres.

_Some sort of coliseum?_ Ray wondered.

His suspicions were confirmed when he noted the three archways on the opposite side of the arena that were sealed by bars of metal dug into the ground. It was impossible to see what lay beyond from his vantage point.

Verche and Leilan had taken flight and examined the seats that were meant for an audience that could number in the tens of thousands. There were some hidden passages that were out of sight from the arena below due to the balconies protruding outwards from the curved walls of the cavern. It only took a few minutes for the two god monsters to examine them and they returned to Ray who was now peering into the barred archways.

"Looks like they just lead to smaller rooms," Verche concluded.

"Everything is made from the stone of the cavern," Leilan added. "Judging from the number of tables and chairs, they were probably just dining areas for those attending."

"So no exits." Ray figured they had all come to the same conclusion. It was definitely some sort of battle arena. But Leilan and Verche didn't seem to be familiar with it. Not that it was really much of a surprise. The rules of the world stated that god monsters couldn't enter dungeons without a Player.

Ray took a startled step back as a sudden screech like nails on a chalkboard pierced the quiet. He felt the earth begin to quiver as the sound of straining metal fought against the degradation caused by its lack of use. Then the bars of metal from the archway to the left pulled up out of the ground. Their rise was painstakingly slow. The sound of grinding metal ended when the bars disappeared.

An eerie silence settled over the arena. An uneasiness weighed on the three companions and they retreated a few careful steps back.

Before long the silhouette of a large figure appeared at the threshold of the tunnel. It was difficult to make out the monster's appearance in the darkness and with its sulking posture. Upon seeing them, the monster threw its head back and let out a roar that shook the entire arena. It went into a frenzy and brought the weapon in its right hand into a horizontal swing that took a chunk out of the wall.

As the monster exited the darkness, Ray could see the weapon it wielded was a huge single-bit axe with a long pole handle. At the top of the handle was a spiked sphere that made the weapon seem like a crossbreed between axe and mace. Attached to its left arm was a battered knight shield with inscriptions that had been worn down from use.

The massive, humanoid creature pounded its red, barreled chest that was covered with a thick chestplate of the same color. Armor covered every bit of its body save for the absurdly thick arms.

It let out another roar that showered saliva on the ground in front of its three enemies.

Ray recognized it from the other game. The monster was called a Gigas. However, that knowledge told him little since this world had proven that its inhabitants could be much different from what he was accustomed to. Prior knowledge helped to discern the attributes of enemies, but that was the extent of it.

The giant red monster decided on a target and rushed forward. Actually, it didn't even seem to pick a single target. It just wanted to barrel straight down the middle of them and disarray.

Leilan and Verche beat their wings and hovered above the bloodthirsty monster while Ray dove to the side to avoid the reckless charge with little effort. The Gigas didn't even bother to hide its intentions. Its movements were exaggerated and it swung the axe in wide arcs that telegraphed its next plan of attack.

"Stay back, Ray!" Leilan shouted as she stabbed at the Gigas. "Just focus on giving us power."

Ray obeyed and put as much distance as possible between himself and the enemy monster. He had almost forgotten what he was building his stats around as he leveled up over the past few weeks. His first instinct was to enter the fray, but the new strategy wouldn't allow for it. Now it was time to rely on his monsters to clean up.

The database on his wrist signaled that his board of orbs was ready. The board displayed a generous amount of light and fire orbs, which was exactly in line with Leilan and Verche's attributes. There were even enough heart orbs to make a single match for healing. He would leave those in reserve in case his monsters needed them later. It turned out that heart orbs were even more of an asset than Ray had anticipated at first.

He made the necessary matches of orbs that would provide Leilan and Verche with extra power: two matches of light orbs and a match of fire orbs. He even managed to get rid of some water and dark orbs that were useless to him. More orbs fell from the unseen top of the board, and Ray triumphantly clenched his fist when he saw that the majority of orbs that appeared were light and fire. It seemed luck was on his side for now.

What came as a pleasant surprise was what followed the power that entered Leilan and Verche's bodies. Leilan brought her halberd down and it collided with the Gigas's shield. Thin cracks trailed along the surface of the shield and chips of metal bounced off. The Gigas was now wide open for an attack from Verche. The gold knight flew just inches from the ground and whirled about to build momentum as he sliced the Gigas across the chest. The wound went deep, much deeper than any of them had anticipated, and the Gigas's chest seemed to explode from the force of the blow.

Before the beast even had time to register what had happened, it burst into particles of data.

Verche, Leilan, and Ray stared dumbfounded at the space where the Gigas had once stood. When the bits of data finally disappeared, they collected themselves and regrouped.

Verche stared at the sword that now rested flat in both his hands. "Well now, I certainly wasn't expecting that."

"It seems we have become far stronger than we realized," Leilan said as she checked her halberd. She confirmed that the small pieces of stray metal from when she struck at the Gigas were not from her weapon.

Ray laughed. "Yeah. I didn't even really match that many orbs either. That was great."

Their good mood was embittered by the familiar sound of scraping metal. The ground shook once again and they now saw the gated archway to the right begin to open as the one to the left sealed.

The silence didn't last long. Two giant red monsters rushed from the opened tunnel in a frenzy with shields leading and axes held high above their heads. They looked much like the monster they had just fought. The only difference was their number.

Verche dodged the attack of the first Gigas and sliced along the creature's thigh with his sword. Blood spewed forth from the wound in a splattering arc and the behemoth fell to one knee with the handle of the axe planted in the ground to keep it upright.

Ray stuck to the plan and backed off.

Leilan also seemed to have her opponent well in hand. The other Gigas thrust its shield forward in an attempt to disorient her, but she launched herself above the shield and landed on its top rim. She leveled her halberd and stabbed forward to pierce a crease in the giant's armor near the armpit. The attack severed its triceps tendon and the arm went limp with only the attached shield keeping it from hanging to the side. Without any leverage to swing its axe, the Gigas stared helpless at the female monster who brought the blade of the halberd across its vision.

The two Gigas disappeared the same as their comrade.

There wasn't even time for praises. Once again the open gate closed, allowing the other to open.

Ray gasped as not two, but three Gigas emerged wielding a variety of spears, axes, and war hammers. Verche engaged the Gigas wielding the axes and Leilan was soon locked in combat with the spear-wielder. That left the one with the war hammer for Ray.

Ray readied his katana. _Looks like we need to amend our strategy._

* * *

****Seattle, Washington****

****United States****

****May 26, 2020****

****Real World Time- 6:47 PM****

The control center run by the Gamemaster was in chaos as the coordinators made preparations for the imminent fight that was about to unfold in the virtual world. Five monitors accompanied with two coordinators each were dedicated to the fight taking place in a new _special_ dungeon where a Player and his two monsters were fighting off wave after wave of enemies.

"Any word from Malkin and Alsheimer?" the Gamemaster shouted over the cacophony.

An attendant shook her head and was about to answer when one of her phones went off. She waved the phone over her head. "The Player's supervisor, Emily Tanner, is waiting outside."

The Gamemaster motioned to one of the guards standing by the door. "Let her in."

The steel double doors slid apart and a stern woman entered the room. She adjusted her spectacles and fussed with her blonde ponytail as she observed the discord in the room.

The Gamemaster rose from his seat to greet her. "A pleasure to meet you Ms. Tanner. This must be a pretty exciting time for you."

"Which Player is it?" Emily asked without even thinking to return the greeting.

The Gamemaster fumbled with his words for a moment at her abrupt tone. "Ah, yes, his name is Ray Andyon. And his monsters-"

"Leilan and Verche...I see." She gave him an unreadable smile. "I do keep track of my Players."

Their conversation was interrupted by one of the coordinators. "Looks like he made it sir. They are heading to the room with the god monster."

"Then double-time it. We need all angles covered. We have nearly one hundred million viewers online right now." The Gamemaster bit the tip of his thumb nervously as he watched Ray Andylon and his monsters exit the coliseum.

The counter on his computer went above one hundred million right as he mentioned it. Word was spreading about big events happening in the virtual world. People would be taking time out of their schedules to watch the battle. The fighting in the coliseum was definitely a new development. They had never seen such a unique setup in a dungeon before, which indicated that it might be an epic prelude to something bigger.

The feed on the main screen of the control center switched to the last room in the dungeon. Much like the other dungeons, a god monster stood at the end of the room in the shadows, still as death. One of the employees controlling the camera was about to zoom in on the monster when the Gamemaster stopped him.

"No. Let's draw it back. Leave it as a surprise for the viewers." He reasoned it would be much more effective for the viewers to discover the monster's identity at the same time as the Player. It was all about the suspense at this point.

Everyone in the room watched with excited trepidation as Ray and his monsters stopped in front of the massive doors that would lead them to the room occupied by the god monster.

Emily diverted her attention to the hiss of the sliding doors behind her and noticed that one of the main guests of honor had arrived. Thomas Malkin.

Malkin looked haggard with his usual short, combed hair in noticeable disarray. He still maintained his air of authority with his intense eyes scanning over the men and women who were finishing preparations for the big event.

"Geez Thomas, you look like hell," the Gamemaster said.

Malkin forced a smile. "Gee, thanks."

"Alsheimer?"

"Locked away."

"Ah, I see."

Malkin then turned his attention to Emily who stared at him expressionless. It seemed he wanted to say a quick word, but he promptly shut his mouth as if he were reconsidering it and simply opted to give her a curt nod. He made his way to a seat next to the Gamemaster's station who followed him and began a quiet discussion.

Emily observed them and frowned. _Since when are they on a first name basis?_

"View count has reached one hundred fifty million and climbing," someone announced.

The Gamemaster was elated by this news. "Alright boys and girls, let's give the world a show."

Emily gave Malkin a sideways glance. The CEO was watching the main screen, but it was as if he wasn't actually observing what it was presenting; however, his eyes weren't as distant as she first assumed. No, they were taking in more than what was actually in front of him. Emily suspected he was drawing a bigger picture with his mind that everyone else couldn't mimic or even possibly be aware of. It was a look she was familiar with.

Emily crossed her arms as a way to prevent herself from fussing with her hair. She wouldn't betray her emotions. After all, she was most likely in the presence of the enemy.

* * *

****The Virtual World****

****Pirugan Continent, Prosell ******_**(Special Dungeon-Mythical)**_**

****In-Game Timer: Day 28****

****6:27 PM****

Ray relaxed himself against the wall of the arena and let his body slide to the ground. He laid his katana across his lap and let out a relieved gasp of air as his arms hung limp at his sides. There was no longer any pain from the wound in his thigh, just a slight throbbing where a dark golem had sliced him with one of its scimitar hands. The blood on his cheek had begun to dry where a crossbow bolt, fired by a pyro centaur, had sliced him. That was a new one. But it was really exhaustion that drained his body and turned his legs to mush.

Leilan rested next to him and laced her fingers behind her head to open her airways as she took a few strained breaths.

A few feet from them, Verche lay on his back and didn't even try to move his body into a position that would allow for better air intake. He just splayed out with his arms to his sides and muttered between breaths about how annoying taur demons were.

One of the gates that had held the enemy monsters closed and the coliseum was silent. The other gate on the opposite side remained unmoving, but the rumbling of the gears beneath the arena went to work again.

Ray looked up and saw that the middle gate was now opening.

"I swear," Ray gasped. "If this is a boss, I'm screwed."

The metal bars disappeared and an uneasy silence fell over the cavern once again. Nothing stirred in the inky darkness.

The three comrades gave an unspoken assent and decided to rest for at least a good fifteen minutes before rallying themselves. It wasn't typically in his nature, but Verche whispered a thanks for Lady Lo having some mercy on them, even though he was aware the Lady Overlook had no control over the battle that had just transpired.

They entered the center tunnel once they were fully rested and were soon heading deeper into the earth. Ray figured by the time they reached the end of their trek he would be at his full hit points again and altogether revitalized at the final battle. A few winding passages later and they stood before a pair of massive stone doors with the symbols of the attributes carved into them.

None of them moved to open the door. It was as if each of them was waiting for the other to make the bold entry into the unknown.

It was obvious why Verche and Leilan were so hesitant to move forward. They didn't want to know what monster lay beyond. Was it a Depths Legion monster? Perhaps it was a Guardian monster that had fallen in combat. In their hearts they prayed it was the latter, but at the same time lamented for the state that the poor monster was in as a slave to the dungeon. Verche knew all too well what it felt like, as if having the mind prodded, torn, and transmogrified into that which was no longer themselves. They became something sinister with an indifference for the life of anything that got in its way.

Ray dismissed his own apprehension. He knew that his was nothing compared to what his monster partners felt.

He stepped forward and rested a hand on each of the doors and forced them open. The doors protested against his weight at first, but then swung inwards as if of their own accord to reveal a large room supported by a multitude of pillars built of black, smoothed metal.

When the trio entered the room the double-doors sealed. On cue, the torches lining the walls flickered to life and illuminated the area to reveal three figures that stood at the far end of the chamber.

The two on the outside of the group glowed with an ethereal white and whipped their heads as they snorted at the newcomers. They appeared to be horses, but the gaping hole in their chests suggested otherwise. Their limbs creaked like straining machines as they stomped on the stone floor with their hooves. Lifeless eyes stared unblinking at nowhere in particular.

Between them was the god monster. The monster stood with hands caressing the pole of an elegant spear that pulsed with a sapphire hue. Bulky armor covered nearly every inch of the body with the creases revealing a milky white battle gown underneath. The closed helmet hid the monster's features but allowed flowing emerald hair to trace the shoulders and fall to the waist.

Ray couldn't tear his eyes away from the monster at first. Only a tearful choke from Leilan shifted his gaze away. He could see Leilan's eyes shivering with disbelief.

Verche placed an armored hand over his helmet in dismay. "Impossible. Not you. How can it be you?" His shoulders shook from the effort it took to speak.

Leilan, Verche, and Ray's bodies moved of their own accord as the enemy Guardian monster reached down for a rounded shield that lay on the ground.

The monster hefted the shield and rested the pole of the spear on its rim for support.

Leilan and Verche recognized the muffled voice that spoke, "You've done well to make it here."


	21. Chapter 20-Guardians I

**A/N: _This chapter has been broken into two parts. I have been spending quite a bit of time editing earlier chapters and will update them soon. None of the editing in the previous chapters changes the story, so there is no reason for readers who have already read them to go back. The changes focus on weeding out potentially misleading information and for providing better clarity, as well as improving language. The next part will be up within a week or two since it only requires editing. Real life stuff and all that right? Haha. _**

**_As always, reviews and critiques are appreciated. Feel free to PM with any inquiries or for discussion. _**

* * *

_"I am so damn tired of being another cog in man's flesh machine." -Kurt Braxton_

**Chapter 20- Guardians I**

A sea of darkness. It was the best way to describe it. A lukewarm feeling that followed after being plunged in a deceptive freeze from a wind that traced the surface. It was a polluted sea, stifling and muggy.

Then when she opened her eyes there was red. Crimson veins now pulsed along her vision as she took in her surroundings. Her head turned to the right, then the left against her bidding. Some of the vein-like tendrils burst and splattered on the edge of her vision, only to reinstate themselves so the process of encroachment could continue upon her being. Her pupils dilated and felt like they were oscillating back and forth despite her focus being seized by the three individuals that stood on the opposite side of the chamber.

The parasitic crimson sensed the emotional turmoil building up in her as she recognized one of them.

"L-Leilan?" Her head pounded as the name formed on her lips.

The red trembled as the streaks of cracks enveloping her vision trailed off out of sight. Then her arm was moving against her will. Her legs bent and a hand reached for the shield at her feet.

_No. _She groaned as the red filled her with its displeasure in the form of what felt like needles stabbing into her brain.

_No..._

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Prosell (**_**Special Dungeon-Mythical)**_

**In-Game Timer: Day 28**

**6:30 PM**

Leilan, Verche, and Ray readied themselves as the two ghost-like, mechanical horses branched off to both sides of the chamber. The two enemies were kept in their peripheral vision, but the monster in the center still seized their attention for the most part.

Verche was the first to regain his composure as he accepted what he saw before him. "She was part of the diversion to bring Metatron and Pandora to safety. But still, for her to be defeated..."

Ray took in a deep breath to compose himself. He made sure it was audible for the female monster beside him. Ray gave her a sideways glance. It was like she was in a trance, her steely gaze focused on the blade of her halberd. Leilan made no sign that she heard him.

This was it. If they defeated Athena then she would drop as an egg just as Verche had. But judging by the other two monsters' reactions, Ray felt that this was going to be a different fight entirely, and it wasn't just because of the two extra enemies that continued to flank them amongst the metal pillars.

Leilan suddenly woke from her reverie and was about to step forward when Verche moved to block her path. He took a few even strides towards Athena to make his intent clear before turning to Ray and Leilan.

"I understand her pain all too well," Verche said. "I will reach her."

Leilan gave him a confounded look at this statement.

"There is still a semblance of our former selves that remains even under the dungeon's control. Athena is fighting against this force with us," Verche explained.

Ray nodded. "Alright then. We'll hold the grunts back while you fight Athena."

Verche returned the nod with his own and continued his approach to the center of the chamber. The two mechanical horses hesitated a moment as if to shift direction to intercept him but were soon distracted by Leilan and Ray who took up the rear.

Ray felt a lump of anxiety build in his throat when Athena began to match Verche's strides. He could practically feel the malevolent force exuding from her armor.

He spared another glance over at Leilan and his teeth clenched when he observed the look of apparent horror on her face. It was entirely out of character for her. The calm and collected Leilan had succumbed to emotions that Ray had thought she might be incapable of. This wasn't the disbelief he had seen in her eyes when they had first entered the chamber. This was fear and despair. It was not a mix of emotions associated with the fierce fight that would be waged, but with who it involved.

Ray refueled his resolve that had almost been quelled by his own apprehension.

_I think, I understand you, Leilan_, Ray thought.

Her one vulnerability: the pain of her comrades. Her friends.

Ray broke the uneasy silence. "Looks like our roles have been reversed."

Leilan frowned at this statement with uncertainty. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I never did thank you," Ray said ignoring the question. "When we were fighting Verche, you said I did well in the Departure Tower."

Leilan averted her gaze as she caught on to what he was saying.

"I knew you couldn't actually see me fighting in there. You only said that to boost my confidence. I needed to overcome that handicap to become what I needed to be to win. Athena is in pain right now. Pain we can't possibly comprehend. Pain that will continue if we lose."

Leilan's eyes widened as his words stung her.

Ray grinned to soften the blow. "So now it's your turn. No thinking. Right?"

The female monster's shoulders trembled and she turned her back to him. The grip on the pole of her weapon tightened. Ray thought for a moment that his words had enacted the opposite effect he had intended when he noticed her body almost instantly relax. She let out a small breath of air as she expelled all her negative tension.

"Don't get cocky human." Leilan gave Ray an appreciative smile that was contrary to her words.

She then turned away from him and said, "Thank you."

Ray felt his face heat up for a second. Two rare sights from Leilan in a single day. He thought about how nice it would be to see something like the latter every once in a while.

A resounding ring of metal brought him back to the situation at hand and he saw that Verche and Athena had engaged in combat at the center of the chamber.

The mechanical horses to either side of the remaining two warriors took this as their cue and they lifted themselves up on hind legs. Their heads reared back at an unnatural angle until they shifted slowly all the way to their backs. From their chests emerged an armored head with pulsing blue eyes. The horses had suddenly changed from beasts to humanoids standing on two legs. The hooves of their front legs retracted and twin blades emerged with a silent hiss of steam. They crouched down and bore their focus into Ray and Leilan.

* * *

**Seattle, Washington**

**United States**

**May 26, 2020**

**Real World Time- 6:55 PM**

Rick Moore caught himself biting his nails as he watched on one of his monitors the start of the battle taking place in the virtual world. There was too much riding on this. Even if Ray were to win, another gamble would take place soon after.

_"If Ray Andylon wins this next crucial battle...then I will see him as an ally."_

Emily Tanner's words kept flashing back into his head. He knew the meaning behind them. She would tell Ray everything: their origins, their knowledge, their stance, their whole plan. It was a dangerous risk. But he saw little reason to refute her. They needed allies in the virtual world. That was where the universal code resided, and Rick and his comrades had no way of entering the other world without being detected by the Lady Overlook, even with the dormant gateway he had inserted into the mainframe the day before.

Things looked grim.

Terrance Prest also hadn't reported in at his designated time the day before. He was supposed to have met with a contact by the name of Paul Burshall who had obtained some crucial info concerning some of the Players that had decided to call themselves _Masked Ones; _a nasty group of people supposedly employed by Thomas Malkin to join Depths Legion in the effort to recover the universal code. Up until that point, it had been speculation as to whether it was Malkin and Future Artificial Networking that was behind the attempts to retrieve the universal code. But now, with the two of them missing, the mystery remained unsolved.

An alert sounded on one of his monitors and he rolled himself in his office chair a few feet to reach it. Two more monitors sounded similar notifications from their internal speakers and the computers emitted a low hum as more intensive processes were carried out. Rick placed them on standby with a quick tap of his fingers on the keyboards.

_Alright, let's see what we've got._

He placed his finger on the screen and slid a number of unnecessary windows out of the way to reveal a few dozen lines of coding that altered at incomprehensible speeds. Rick's trained eyes caught a few lines of coding that he wanted and he transferred them to another window he pulled up at an adjacent monitor.

On the other monitor a video appeared that was zoomed in on the city of Seattle from a birds-eye view. Rick clapped his hands together as his enthusiasm returned. He had thought that the enemy on the other side had locked him out of the satellite completely, but it looked like things were back in his control. For now at least.

When Terrance had failed to contact them, Emily had already assumed the worst and tasked Rick with finding out what had happened. So what did he do? First, he hacked into the street security cameras in the city and replayed footage from the day before. Analyzing all of those cameras to find a specific person in the crowded streets of Seattle was nigh impossible, so he let the cameras do it themselves.

Rick had input the facial recognition software template for Terrance Prest. The software could then analyze the spatial geometry of the face and then...done, the camera lets the user know when a match comes up on one of the cameras. Elementary technology in this day and age if one knew how to use it efficiently.

Eventually, that was when Rick watched the footage and saw Terrance enter what he assumed was a pub. Another man followed shortly thereafter. After a few minutes, the black SUVs showed up. Trouble.

Rick had transferred himself to the various feeds throughout the city as he followed the two men down a few back alleys. They entered their vehicle and the chase was on. It was then revealed what had befallen Terrance. It was clear he had been captured. He was picked up by two men under both arms and thrown into one of the black SUVs. There was no sign of Paul.

Rick thought things couldn't possibly be worse when he noticed one of the men open his wallet and flash what Rick assumed was some sort of badge that represented police authority. Or maybe it was FBI? Rick couldn't be sure from the angle, and no other cameras provided a suitable view.

Whoever the bastard was, he had his presence rooted with the fine boys in blue.

Rick had followed the car that held Terrance captive until it breached the outskirts of the city where he could no longer follow them with the cameras. This was where the satellite came in.

Rick had found the correct satellite in the appropriate line of orbit that coincided with when the black car had left the city. Now it was time to track them from space. It was a bold move. His presence within the system that monitored the satellite would be noted almost immediately. There just wasn't any way around it, even with his sophisticated station he had set up. Rick hoped the proxies he set up would hold the enemy's attention for a while so they would keep guessing as to his whereabouts.

Those on security had blocked him from the other side for a brief time. But now he was back in business.

Rick stared unblinking at the computer monitor until the SUV came to a stop outside of a sparse wooded area. The men exited the car with Terrance in tow and disappeared underneath the canopy of leaves. The footage stuttered with a lag in framerate due to a bad signal, but it was enough to discern what was going on.

He rolled his chair a few computers down and checked the map of Seattle he had up. The information and direction of their travel was already input and he overlaid it on the map. He traced his finger and followed the route.

_So they went down Interstate 90._ He then went south. _Then down 18._

His overlaid path stopped somewhere mid-way route 18 and he highlighted the area. There might be about a two-mile area of correction needed, but that was about it. It would do.

He sent the info to the printer and swiped it out as soon as it was finished.

It was impossible to tell if Terrance was still in this location, but it was too great of a risk to stay with the satellite for too long. He had already given up the location of at least a couple dozen proxies. He hoped to have at least a few in reserve when the really bad stuff went down.

Now it was time to report to Tanner's people, and they would take care of the rest.

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Prosell (**_**Special Dungeon-Mythical)**_

**In-Game Timer: Day 28**

**6:38 PM**

"Can you hear me Athena?" Verche shouted as he brought his broadsword down.

Athena blocked the strike with the blade of her elaborate lance. The end of the pole weapon had been forged with fine hooks and curves specifically for intercepting and disarming weapons. Verche was aware of this, and so he retracted his blade as soon as it came in contact with Athena's by bringing his arm back and upwards to avoid the angled metal.

It was as if the Athena under the dungeon's control was aware of his own knowledge, for she edged forward with a quick shift of her feet to invade Verche's space of recovery. The broadsword was pointed over Athena's shoulder with no time for Verche to bring the sword back for an attack strong enough to do any damage.

_Damn! _Verche brought an armored wrist between him and Athena to intercept the blow.

The pole of the spear slid along the wrist guards of his right arm and he grabbed it with his free hand where the two metals of the weapon melded together. He then lifted his left leg to deal a swift kick at Athena's abdomen. But her reflexes already had one hand releasing her spear to absorb the blow of the kick. She slid back a few feet as she absorbed the attack and readied her spear once again for another bout.

The two warriors took this moment to size each other up as they prepared their fighting stances.

Verche wished he could see Athena's face beneath the closed helmet that she wore. Being able to see the eyes of the opponent was an advantage in itself. Even the muscles of the face could give away the next move. Verche knew the real Athena would not give these subtle hints away. But she was under the control of the dungeon. Perhaps the malicious force inhabiting her would betray some sort of hint.

Athena made the first move. With shield leading, she rushed forward and slid her hand halfway down the spear for better control in the close encounter. Verche sidestepped and swung his sword which glanced off the top rim of the shield. He made sure to angle the edge of the blade so that it didn't make direct contact. A strike on such a shield head-on would result in reverberations up his arm that would rend it useless for a few precious milliseconds.

Athena slid to a halt, let her hand shift down the pole of the weapon once again, and thrust it forward at long-distance. Verche batted it aside with his small wrist shield and took advantage of his momentum. He whirled about and beat his wings to speed up his spin and brought down his broadsword with both hands gripping the handle. Once again, Athena's shield was there to provide defense, but Verche didn't let up the attack and forced his enemy into an engagement that relied on reflexes and balance. He didn't give an inch of breathing room. Each strike appeared futile on the surface of Athena's shield, but the arm that braced it underneath was starting to feel the fatigue build up.

The shield sagged for a split second and Verche saw his opening.

_There. _Verche convinced himself and his sword that the sliver of vulnerability had presented itself.

He redirected his sword into a horizontal swing above the rim of the shield and a satisfying clang of metal met his ears rather than the dull thump that had dominated most of the engagement. The edge of the sword collided with the side of Athena's helmet and cut through the thin chains of metal that connected the top and bottom of the helm. The pieces of the chain rang out with a brief moment of resistance before shattering and the bottom portion of the helm gave way.

Verche was already in the midst of his next attack, but it cut harmlessly through the air as Athena lowered herself into a backward roll to distance herself.

He took in a sharp breath of air as Athena grabbed the top portion of her helm that still remained intact. She tore it off and tossed it to the side.

Her eyes. They were bloodshot to the point of almost drowning them in pure red. They traveled out to the side where prominent veins crept to her temples. The only way to discern her pupils from the rest of the eye was their pure, glowing crimson. They were wild like the eyes of some rabid beast, and yet, her expression seemed to retain that of indifference.

"Athena..." As he uttered her name he noted the slight twitch of her hand in response.

_I see. _Verche thought. _Yes. You are still in there. Just as I was._

"The four of us together Athena." He launched himself forward and brought his sword down upon her shield. She responded in kind with another jab from her spear which Verche caught under the crook of his arm. There they found themselves in a desperate deadlock dictated by strength.

* * *

Leilan drove the blade of her halberd into the ground as she forced back the mechanical horseman.

"Initiate active skill _Southern Seven-Star Formation!_" The seven glowing stars answered her call and burst forth from the stone floor to encircle her.

She glanced over at Ray who had activated his Player barrier to begin matching the orbs she had created for him. After only a few seconds she felt the power of the orbs engulf her body. He was getting better. Comparable power from previous battles was being distributed in a shorter amount of time.

Ray also seemed to be holding his own against the other horseman. If she finished off her opponent quickly, then they could double-team the other and join Verche's battle with Athena.

But it was an irritating enemy. It was mechanical, so the typical vital points she struck that would have taken down any normal creature were shrugged off as if they were nothing. It had no feeling.

The horseman struck out with one of the blades attached to its wrists and whirled about as Leilan blocked the attack with the pole of her halberd. It flicked a switch on its palm and the blade on the other wrist fired at Leilan's abdomen like a crossbow bolt. Leilan angled her halberd to deflect the projectile and was about to strike at the mechanical creature's head when it retracted backwards. It morphed into its horse form again and trotted in a circle around Leilan, seeking out some sort of opening in her defensive stance.

Leilan gritted her teeth in frustration as it crouched down and assumed its humanoid form once again. A new blade appeared to take the place of the one it had lost.

_Fine then. _Leilan eyed one of her stars that floated above her and directed it to flank behind the metal horseman. She engaged the enemy in close-quarters combat to ensure it didn't notice the star approaching its rear.

All it took was a few quick feints with her spear to get the mechanical creature to back up the extra few steps.

"Release!" Leilan shouted.

The floating star behind the humanoid horse exploded and released a force akin to a frag grenade. Leilan angled her halberd to intercept her opponent's body and the blade drove through its throat. It wriggled and slashed wildly with its blades, but the pole of Leilan's weapon kept her well out of reach. She twisted the handle of her weapon and a thick black liquid spurted forth. She then stepped back, brought her upper hand forward, and poured all the weight into her hips to slice the machine monster's head off.

The horse head that had retracted into the back of the monster attempted to lift itself forward but was soon locked in place when the blade of Leilan's halberd filled the empty space.

She shook her head. "Not a chance."

Leilan applied all of her weight to the end of the halberd and pressed down like it was a pallet jack. Metal parts and coiled tubing screamed as the halberd forced them from the main body. The second head now hung to the side at a sickening angle as butchered steel erupted with sparks and fluid.

Leilan didn't even take the time to admire her work as she made her way to the other side of the chamber to assist Ray.

She had made it nearly halfway when she heard a shout from Verche. "Leilan! Protect Ray! By gods, protect Ray!"

Leilan looked to her right as she continued her sprint and noticed the thick fog of crimson that enveloped Athena's body. Two sides of the fog crept outwards and morphed into what appeared to be a pair of clawed hands.

A sudden, unseen weight pressed on Leilan's body and her legs gave way mid-stride. She pushed herself through the strange shifts in gravity.

The metal pillars that supported the chamber buckled inward like they were nothing more than plastic wrap. They twisted in on themselves and tiny pieces of metal arched towards the ceiling as they broke free.

"Ray!"

Ray was already aware that something was wrong, but he still looked to her after he dodged another strike from his attacker.

Leilan shifted her gaze first to the deep fog that surrounded Athena and then back to Ray. "Activate your Player barrier! Now!"

Ray rolled to the side as he avoided another attack. "I-I can't! It isn't ready!"

The hands of the fog clasped together and a deeper red built up that illuminated Verche who was retreating back.

_We might survive it, but..._ Leilan looked back to Ray who was now rushing in her direction. They would never reach each other in time.

The power surrounding Athena continued to build up. Leilan knew what it was planning: One powerful attack. That was all it needed now that Ray's barrier was down. If the Player was defeated then it was all over. This power was nothing like when she and Ray had fought Verche. Where did it come from all of a sudden?

How didn't matter. It was there. That much was clear.

_I have to believe, _Leilan thought. Her hands shook as she stared at the remaining stars from her active skill that hovered around here.

She stared at the Player she had come to trust after what seemed like knowing him for such a short time.

_Please._ Leilan extended her hand towards Ray. She poured all of the energy he had given her into the stars.

* * *

The power that filled the room was insane. It was an obvious distortion of air like heat rising from a blacktop on a summer day. It swirled and smashed itself before being drawn into the strange fog that had filled the entire other half of the room. Ray couldn't even see Athena's figure any longer. It was replaced by the pair of hands that trembled as if struggling to contain the energy built up.

How was it even possible? Was this the true power that resided in this strange entity?

Ray pressed a finger to his database in the hopes that the board of orbs might open so he could establish his Player barrier. No such luck.

He then saw Leilan lift a hand towards him and the stars that surrounded her arched through the air towards him. He stared at them as he ran until they followed alongside him. They shifted positions and coordinated to create a pentagon. Lines of light connected them together and that was when Ray understood.

Ray screamed at Leilan, "No! Don't you dare! No!"

Verche had now reached Leilan and pulled her behind one of the crushed metal pillars. He raised his small shield in a feeble attempt to block some of the imminent, overwhelming energy.

A second followed. In that second, Leilan and Verche vanished in a blast of deep crimson.

* * *

The red that enveloped the room seemed to last forever. It was an eternity of staring in that spot where Verche and Leilan once stood. The shield born from the star formation and his matched orbs had cracked and peeled at the edges. Some of the intense energy from the dungeon's attack had managed to tear off large chunks of light before finally dissipating.

A pained silence followed.

Ray lowered his arms that had instinctively moved to protect his face. Only a few of the metal pillars remained, one of them being where Verche and Leilan had taken cover. The two god monsters were no longer there.

Ray's eyes followed the deep gashes in the stone floor until they settled against the wall where two figures lay motionless.

Ray choked as his eyes took in his two battered monster partners.

Chunks of Verche's armor were missing. His right arm was exposed to reveal his pale white skin underneath lined with streaks of blood. His breastplate was caved inward and bits of metal were missing from his cracked, gold helmet. The wings on his back were caked in blood and hung as limp as his head, chin tucked into one of the many dents in his armor.

Seeing Leilan's face made the scene all the more horrific. Her eyes were closed and lines of red traced her cheeks. The beautiful Chinese dress she wore was in tatters. Only a few bits of the fabric remained. The orange of the rest of the fabric that was once there was now replaced by the red of her blood. Ray could see a black under armour that was once concealed by her Chinese dress that had managed to protect her chest and abdomen.

The strength left Ray's legs and he began to crawl towards them. He felt as if he weren't getting any closer to them. They were so far away. Eventually, unbeknownst even to himself, he was on his feet. He couldn't tear his eyes away from them. His friends looked so lifeless.

"Leilan? Verche?" For a moment he was unaware that he had even said the names.

The scrape of metal froze him in place for a moment, and he thought that perhaps it was from Verche. But the knight hadn't moved, and the sound was much too far away.

Ray forced his gaze away. Approaching was Athena. The fog around her body was gone. Even the malevolent aura seemed to have receded. Everything from the dungeon had been poured into that one attack. The two main opponents were gone. All that was left was to deal with the Player, the weakling of the group.

Ray looked away from Athena and let out a short gasp as he noticed the steady rise and fall of Leilan's chest. He also saw a brief, sputtering glow that traced the contours of Verche and Leilan's bodies.

_She had a star left! I-I can heal them,_ Ray thought.

Athena had quickened the pace of her stride and was now trotting towards him with her shield leading once again. The dungeon knew about his Player barrier. And Ray assumed it new about the heal orbs that he could possibly match to bring Leilan and Verche back into the fight.

But Leilan and Verche appeared to be on the verge of death. How many heal orbs would he need?

His database whirred to life and the board of orbs unlocked once again. He didn't even wait to activate his Player barrier.

It was a terrible board of orbs. Only two heal orbs. He could try to get as many matches as possible, pair the two heal orbs together, and then hope for a skyfall where another heal orb could complete the trio. He could match every other remaining orb on the board to increase his chances of getting a heal orb match, but it would all remain strictly to luck.

Ray stared at Athena who was now waiting patiently with her shield and spear held easily at her sides. Ray watched in horror as she strode around his barrier to stand over Verche and Leilan. There was nothing he could do.

Athena aimed the point of her spear at Leilan's chest and thrust it forward. The blade glanced off of Leilan harmlessly and drilled into the stone floor next to her. Athena stared at the area where the spear dug for a few moments before extracting it. She settled the tip of the spear directly against Leilan's skin and focused all of her weight only to have the same result.

Ray examined his database and noted that Leilan and Verche's health were both at the single digit of 1. That's right. There were rules to this world. The Player was the heart of the team. The death of the Player was what brought defeat. Did this mean that his monster partners weren't just god-types, but actual gods? Or was it just the rules that Lo upheld that kept them alive?

Whatever it was, Ray still thanked Lo and whatever other higher entity was at work.

He then looked at his health bar which hadn't changed all that much in amount. However, it was now flashing along its edges as if warning him.

"Curse you Lo."

Ray stared at Athena bewildered. The female monster's look of disdain had changed into an unsightly scowl that did not befit her pretty face. Two voices overlayed each other: one female and sweet like honey, the other jagged and dark.

She gave Ray a sideways glance. "You Players. You don't belong here. You disrupt the meaning of individuality. They are mine."

Her words dug into Ray's skin. The dungeon was speaking to him? The words with genuine vehemence and vexation made him focus back to the board of orbs. Anything was better than looking at the innocent face twisted by the impossibly hateful expressions. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves.

_Okay._

He went to work with the orbs. He set up the two heart orbs together and made a few more matches that were available on the board with other orbs that were currently useless. One match. Two. Three. Four. Five. Then the orbs fell from above to make a match of useless dark orbs. Six. Three heart orbs fell in a skyfall, but none of them matched together. A light orb matched with two other lights orbs that were below the two heart orbs paired together. Seven. From above appeared two wood orbs and a heart orb.

...But the heart orb fell just to the left of the ones he had prepared.

No match.

The board went gray and the red 'X' locked the board and mocked him.

Ray slowly raised his eyes away from the board. It felt like bile was building up in his throat. He thought he was going to throw up.

Athena raised her spear parallel to the ground and angled it on a path that would lead to Ray's heart.

The Player barrier vanished.

Ray was alone.


	22. Chapter 21- Guardians II

**A/N:**** _Apologies for the lengthy hiatus. I needed to take a break from this story simply because it can be rather tiring. I am also in the midst of a horror/thriller that is an original work. I am debating whether I should upload it to another site, but I had been hesitant about even uploading this story due to the amount of original content present since it is based off an app game with no plot._**

**_But enough about that. After listening to my epic music playlist for countless hours, this chapter is finally complete. _**

* * *

_"The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man: nothing else he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall, civilizations grow old, and die out. After an era of darkness, new races build others; but in the world of books are volumes that have this happen again and again, and yet live on, still as young and fresh as the day they were written, still telling men's hearts of the hearts of men centuries dead. " -Clarence Day_

_"How true it is. This is one of many, all of them interconnected by the endless universe that is the mind, and bound by limitations only broken through will. Books bring these to the physical for all to share, and to then be stored for their minds that have planted a barrier around their own world, unaware of their reality. What he says is missing something. And that is..." -A World Maker_

* * *

**Chapter 21- Guardians II**

?

?

?

Ray sat in the cluttered office with his eyes taking in the details of the various sports gear that littered the shelves. A few dozen posters were tacked to the walls with baseball batting averages, football rushing yards, and the like. Manilla folders and unmarked binders, fit to burst, towered in corners. A loveseat was shoved next to the computer desk across from where Ray sat on the sofa. One seemingly insignificant detail about the room was the trashcan overflowing with water bottles displaying different brand names.

The phone in his pocket vibrated and he checked the alerts displayed at the top of the screen. A limited-time dungeon had opened in the Puzzle and Dragons app. It would only stay open for an hour, which was how long his session would last with the therapist. It wasn't much to be concerned about since it was a dungeon for rare evolution materials, many of which he had duplicates of. He just wanted to beat the last dungeon of the set to nab a free magic stone. It would turn up some other day.

The door to the office opened just as Ray pocketed the phone and silenced it as an afterthought. A big middle-aged man walked in with graying, close-cropped hair. He had a slight beer belly with contrasting muscular arms that forced them away from his body. It was a strange build, but he was not entirely out of shape by any means.

He gave Ray an apologetic smile as he settled himself in the loveseat across from him. The man made no indication that he was going to open the folder with the information from their last session that sat on the mahogany end table.

"Sorry about all the confusion with scheduling," the man said. "My secretary had you down for next week by accident. I'm glad we had a cancellation."

Ray shrugged. "It's not a problem. Happens."

"I looked over the information your previous therapists sent me, especially from your cognitive therapist. I'm sure they've told you that you aren't alone when it comes to this negative way of thinking."

Ray chuckled humorlessly. "Plenty." He appreciated the fact that this man skipped all the pointless pleasantries and frivolities the others had been accustomed to.

This one-word response seemed to trigger something in the man's head, for his light expression took a serious turn. He rubbed his stubble-of-a-beard for a moment, leaned forward, and clasped his hands.

Ray couldn't place it, but this man had a foreign nature compared to the other professionals he had spoken to. He was strange. The office wasn't kept tidy like the other ones he had sat in, his mannerisms along with his tone gave their conversations a more amiable rather than mechanic feel, and his tendency to individualize instead of categorizing him into a group of people with similar "issues" was a pleasant change of pace.

"Honors student, successful athlete, dependable...just to name a few of the words your parents used when I spoke to them," the therapist said. "One in particular, and I noticed that touch of concern in their voice despite the seemingly positive aspects of the term, 'selfless.'"

Ray remained silent as the man listed a few more choice words.

"But that word 'selfless,'" the therapist continued. "It can come with an equal amount of selfishness. Which is something I would like to delve into. It is also accompanied with your desire to please others, despite the fact that you claim to have a deep loathing for humanity. Not an uncommon contradiction. Do I mostly have a grasp on this part of your mentality?"

Ray's deadpan expression morphed with just the widening of his eyes. Even with the notes in that manilla folder, compiled over the course of two years, this man had pretty much nailed those bits. And all after just one session of discussion that lasted a little over an hour two weeks previous.

Ray's change in demeanor was enough of an answer for the good-natured man. He let the quiet settle over him to give his patient some time to take in the understanding of the problem.

The therapist broke the silence after a long minute, "Tell me, Ray. What makes the world?"

"It's inhabitants," Ray answered without hesitation.

"Oh? That was quick. Have your other therapists posed this question to you as well? Seems like pertinent information, but I didn't see this in any of their notes."

"They didn't. It's something I think about from time to time."

"I'd venture to say it is more than just time to time."

Ray didn't see any reason to argue with the assessment. It was true. He pondered his place in the world constantly, whether it be while mindlessly mowing the lawn or solving a word-problem on a math test that triggered this contemplation. It was a constant stream of questions asking the what-ifs and whys. Always these same questions returned without any progress. It was a stagnation.

"I feel like..." Ray paused as he considered the right choice of words. "I don't belong here."

The man frowned with genuine concern at this simple statement. He asked his next question for clarity despite his certainty of the response. "Where do you not belong?"

"This world." Ray couldn't think of a better explanation. If the world was dictated by its inhabitants, then he believed he was a direct contradiction to them.

The therapist stared at the ceiling as he considered Ray's words. Ray was a young man who showed symptoms similar to others he had spoken to. But he couldn't quite place it. Something was different.

"Could it be this purpose you mentioned to the others you've spoken to? You've spent most of your life pleasing others. You fear quitting what you've started due to the possibility of letting them down, or worse, disappointing them. You are convinced that you hate people, and yet, you don't want them to harbor the same feelings towards you. Once again, a common contradiction that humans face. A strange contradiction, but it has been confirmed all the same. And yet..." He trailed off and rubbed his temples, deep in thought.

It was now Ray's turn to let the man think.

The therapist spoke again, "With your talents you have the potential to attain most of anything you want. You have abilities most people would kill for, but you can't seem to put your mind to it because you are so focused on this unknown purpose that eludes you. Is it because you have spent most of your life doing things you don't want to do?"

"Perhaps."

"To clarify, are you sure your purpose doesn't exist in this world? Have you ingrained yourself in a fantasy world based on-" The man stopped himself almost immediately. "No, your parents made it clear you've been like this since childhood. Even before they adopted you you were like this. Right?"

Ray nodded without a word.

"I want to ask what you believe your purpose might entail. Even if it is just the smallest details. However, I need to confirm some information concerning your strained relationships. Let's begin with your father..."

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Prosell (**_**Special Dungeon-Mythical)**_

**In-Game Timer: Day 28**

**6:45 PM**

The mind is a mysterious thing. It is said that one's life flashes before his/her eyes when encountering a near-death experience. The mind is the source of reasoning, and the body, in turn, responds to some subconscious reasoning in order to provide a better chance of survival no matter how small and seemingly futile. A part of this contingent of chances is emotion, one that can be controlled through awareness from this flash of events approaching death.

Ray didn't think he was nearing death. Not just yet. The random memory of being in the office on that particular day felt like a result of a serious routing. The brain registers pain and sustains enough impact for a solid jostling. If a person's brain could be compared to a filing cabinet and the memories as paper, then Athena had ripped open all of the drawers and threw the paper into the air.

But the brain wants the body to survive, and so it retrieved one of these sheets in desperation, thrust it into Ray's face and said, "Remember this, and you'll find a way to survive."

Ray wiped a line of blood that crawled down his face. In response, more blood erupted from the cut near his temple where Athena's spear had grazed.

He looked down at his chest and examined the deep gash that extended across to his thigh. Her spear had sliced straight through the armor. Only a thin strip of metal on his shoulder and a piece a few inches wide on his hip kept the armor from falling apart completely. More blood crawled down his right arm and dripped from his fingertips. The source of the blood was from a deep lesion along his tricep.

Only his ridiculous reflexes saved him from the spear that swiped across his sight just millimeters from his eyes. He stumbled as one of his heels clipped a mound of metal to his rear. He turned on his other foot to regain his balance and ducked under another horizontal swing from Athena's spear. As Ray's gaze was forced downward, he noticed that what he had tripped on was the decimated body of the mechanical horseman he had been fighting, which received the brunt of the force from the immense power released by the dungeon.

Ray instinctively fell into a shoulder roll and the blade of the spear dug into the stone floor where he had been less than a second previous.

This was the situation since the dissipation of the Player barrier. It seemed the dungeon had used most of its energy in that one devastating attack and was now relying on Athena's own combat skills to finish him off. After all, the dungeon saw Ray as just another weak human.

He assumed the only thing keeping him alive for even this long was the fact that he had placed most of his stat points into abilities focused on survivability: perception, agility, ailment resistance, etc. But Athena was just simply too fast and powerful.

Ray deflected a straight thrust from Athena's spear. This small reprieve was spoiled as Athena stepped forward and slammed her shield into Ray's side. It would have most likely broken a few ribs if he hadn't turned himself at the last possible second to cushion the blow. Still, it hurt like hell.

It was enough to disorient him, and he soon found himself flat on his back when Athena hooked one of the curves of her spear around his ankle and pulled his feet out from under him.

His vision blurred as the back of his head collided with the floor. When his eyes cleared he was staring at the tip of Athena's spear.

_So that's it. _Ray sighed inwardly, dejected. _I...I lost. _

Athena brought her arm back to prepare the finishing blow.

_ All I had to do was survive. And still-_

A heavy_ thunk_ interrupted his thoughts and he slowly shifted his vision towards the flat of the spear's blade. Its tip dug into the stone next to his head. He could see his distorted reflection despite the fresh blood that still caked it.

He didn't recognize his own face for a few seconds. His own eyes drew him in. Something that had been lingering there had made itself acknowledged, unbeknownst even to himself due to the desperate thoughts that clouded his head. But his eyes told the truth of what he was really feeling.

Anger.

Anger built up over the course of years. Anger at life, his world, its people, and above all, himself. Anger with glimpses of reason and then without.

Ray gritted his teeth and stared at Athena who was now trembling uncontrollably with her arm locked to hold the spear in place. Tears streamed down her face as she shut her eyes out from the destruction around her. Her lips quivered as if she were about to say something, but it was forced back by a choked sob.

Pain. So much pain. Unbearable. Pain to carry alone.

Ray's anger and Athena's pain...

_Go to hell. _The three words indicated Ray's embrace of the anger and pain.

Ray wrapped his fingers around the blade of Athena's spear and embraced the throbbing hurt that pulsed in his fingertips. It felt as if his blood was burning.

_I want to win. _

He used Athena's blade as support and lifted himself to one knee.

_I want to win._

His legs went numb. He reached for his sword. Then his arms too were numb, followed by the rest of his body.

_I want to win. I want to win. I want to win. I want to win. Iwanttowiniwanttowiniwanttowin._

Completely shutting out the mind was wrong. But it was a first step. Leilan's advice was not a solution, but a rung on the ladder. The mind needed to be controlled. The next rung was that one thought. Focus on that one thought and associate it with a goal.

_I want to win._

The dungeon that inhabited Athena's body broke through its host's feeble resistance and spoke, "What is this sudden conviction?" The dungeon frowned and observed this new Ray with a keen interest. "Have you pushed beyond will?"

A sputtering growl escaped Ray's lips and he lashed out at Athena with his katana. She blocked it with ease and was about to set herself up for a counter when the hidden blade attached to Ray's wrist suddenly appeared and whisked past her weapon-wielding arm.

Athena frowned as a line of red emerged on her forearm and trickled along her wrist.

Ray's arm was wide open and Athena went into a half turn and dug the blade of the spear into the wrist guard. Athena's eyes narrowed. The spear was lodged into the wrist guard when it should have cut clean through much like it had when slicing Ray's chestplate.

Ray stared at the blade that was now stuck in his armor.

_Thanks Sophie,_ he thought as he stepped forward into Athena's stance.

Ray grabbed the pole of Athena's spear and drew her in closer, taking full advantage of the opportunity when he saw the surprise on her face. He then hooked his left arm underneath hers at the elbow and established wrist control. He stepped in front of her and adjusted his weight to apply pressure to her shoulder which would then hopefully drive her to the ground.

She was strong. Impossibly strong for her appearance. She was also a god monster under the control of a powerful force. But it would be enough to buy the time he needed.

Athena shifted the weight on her feet but was unable to release her arm from Ray's lock. This was not a technique familiar to her. It was a human fighting strategy from another world. It was beyond risky, but effective. He was left wide open to an attack from nearly any blade but her own. The length of the spear was too long even when held near the blade to deal any damage to him. And with all the weight on her weapon shoulder she could not hope to move more than her wrist. Ray didn't need to win. He just needed to force them into a stalemate, which is exactly what he had done. He had placed all of his faith into that one piece of wrist armor with the hopes that it would resist her strike enough to place himself close to her for this arm lock.

The dungeon had underestimated the skill of a human when it unleashed the massive attack, thinking that skill alone was all that was needed to kill him.

Athena reared her head back and drove the front of her helmet into Ray's forehead. He didn't even flinch. His eyes were empty. It was as if he had removed himself from his body and locked himself in place like an immovable statue.

"You...you little..." the dungeon growled in its mixed voice.

The database on Ray's wrist flashed and he grinned.

It was then that the dungeon realized there was another purpose for this arm lock. Ray's left arm was hooked with his fingers still free. His right arm, which had the database on his wrist was gripping Athena's own and extending it out straight. The fingers of the left hand were near the right wrist. Which meant...

Athena's eyes widened as Ray activated the board of orbs on his database.

Ray's Player barrier emerged. Athena was at point blank range and received its full force. The Player barrier launched her across the room into one of the disfigured steel pillars as Ray released his hold on her. She gasped as she collided with the pillar at an awkward angle. Blood spurted from her mouth immediately following the violent collision.

Ray went to work on the board of orbs before Athena even had a chance to get her bearings. He matched the heart orbs that would heal Verche and Leilan while also making more matches to increase their power and the amount of health regained. He let the last heart orb hover next to its two brethren as he let out a sigh that held back his breathing.

The orbs vanished and a few more skyfalls were made in the process with a total of nine matches.

A burst of pink light erupted from the database and arced through the air, swirling and bending as it sought out Ray's wounded party members. It settled over Verche and Leilan, much of it seeping into open wounds to scout for any potential internal injuries.

Ray laughed with relief as he saw his comrades begin to stir.

_We can win! _Ray's mind shouted. _We can win!_

He only felt the excruciating pain around his stomach when the laugh subsided. He stared down at a deep laceration that drew along his belly to lower thigh. Red gushed from the wound. He realized what was happening as he opened his health bar on the database. The red line indicating his life was slowly receding. Then his vision dimmed and he couldn't even tell where the health bar was as multiple versions overlapped each other.

He knew what was happening. He was bleeding out. _Bleed damage_ it was called. Athena must have settled her blade on his stomach just as he released her and used the force of his own barrier to slice his stomach.

A groan caught his attention and he saw Verche was now on his feet while assisting a disoriented, but very much alive, Leilan.

They stared in his direction and noticed his grievous wounds. Their first instinct was to rush over to his aid, despite the fact there was clearly nothing they could do to staunch the bleeding.

Ray held up his hand and mustered what little strength he had left to speak. "Finish it! Save her!"

Athena had already regained her bearings and was on the move. Her target: Ray. It was a last ditch effort to finish him before the other monsters could interfere.

* * *

Verche and Leilan took flight to intercept her. The agony continued to torment them as the heart orbs persevered in the painstaking healing process.

"Weapons of light! Hear my call!" Verche's own board of weapon orbs appeared and he finished them mid-flight as fast as he could. Light weapons emerged from the ceiling and rained down around Athena, slowing and forcing her off course to buy them some time to reach Ray.

Athena thrust her spear forward, aiming straight for the chest of the Player who no longer had the strength to move. His feet were firmly planted in place from shock with one arm limp at his side and the other holding his exposed belly.

Leilan cut through the air faster than she ever had before. _Ray!_

A resounding clang of metal echoed through the chamber.

Athena let out a short cry of surprise as Leilan's halberd forced her weapon to the floor.

The halberd swapped position with the spear and angled it to the ceiling with a quick shift of Leilan's wrist. She violently shoved the pole of her halberd into Athena's face without even bothering to settle her weight properly. Athena brought up a hand to hold back the pole of the halberd.

Leilan could feel her own anger building as she saw the dungeon suppressing Athena from within, along with the image of Ray hunched over his torn stomach, reflected in those red eyes.

"Don't touch him, bastard!" Leilan headbutted Athena as she screamed in frustration.

Verche took up position to Athena's rear and struck out with a double-edged axe that had been constructed from his active skill. His attack was blocked by Athena's shield despite her disorientation and Verche side-stepped to open up her stance for Leilan. Another quick jab from Leilan's halberd sliced along Athena's leg and a thin line of blood emerged from the resulting cut. Verche forced Athena to one knee as he continued his assault on the shield that now showed signs of wear equal to its bearer's limbs. He brought the axe up over his head and brought it down over and over like it was a sledgehammer.

"Don't worry Athena." Leilan fought through fatigue with enmity and deflected a strike from Athena with a counter that opened her up for Verche in turn.

Verche took advantage of it and dealt more damage with his axe. "Just a little longer Athena."

Verche and Leilan were nowhere near a full recovery, but their relentless attacks from opposite sides were enough to bring Athena to their level. A parry on one side allowed wounds on another. Their enemy was barely able to avoid major injuries as she soaked up damage little by little. The dungeon that inhabited Athena's body stubbornly delayed the inevitable.

The two monsters struggling to free their friend fought back the tears that begged to be released. It would have been such a relief even if it was a hindrance. They wouldn't allow it. They fought desperately with the knowledge that Ray's body would soon submit to its wounded flesh. They fought wordlessly, relying on the synchronization between them built over many years.

Verche hooked one of the blades of his axe on the upper lip of the shield and forced it down to the floor. Athena's body followed it. The dungeon made one last attempt at defense, but soon the hand wielding its weapon was impaled by the blade of Leilan's halberd. Another slice to the back of the legs from Verche brought Athena to her knees.

It was over. The difference between victory and defeat could be determined by a single choice and actions taken within milliseconds.

The dungeon stared at the floor with Athena's eyes in disbelief. It had underestimated the Player. If not for that, victory would have been assured.

But there was little time left until Ray would reach death from the wound along his stomach.

The dungeon spoke quickly before the imminent final blow ended its control, "This world doesn't belong to you-"

Athena's body stiffened as the halberd drove through her chest. Her eyes hazed over and stared unseeing. The mix of fluids running down her cheeks had now dried leaving streaks that displayed mixed emotions from two different beings.

A race of strength waned between Ray and the defeated monster. Ray now lay on his side, his body spasming as the last of his life spread on the dungeon floor.

Their graying eyes met for a brief moment. And then, Athena was falling.

A few seconds later, her body vanished in an explosion of blinding light.

* * *

**Seattle, Washington**

**United States**

**May 26, 2020**

**Real World Time- 7:00 PM**

Victory. Ray, Leilan, and Verche had won. It was also a victory for Athena who had fought just as desperately, unbeknownst to those who watched with awe and wonder from the outside.

Emily was fussing with her ponytail again, and she didn't care. He had won. A part of her was relieved while another was apprehensive with what would follow soon after. But the majority was that of relief. She new this because her body felt light. It meant they had a chance. She wouldn't admit it to herself, but doubt had been creeping on the edge of her mind ever since this had all began. Only her past training had kept it at bay for so long. But now...

The room erupted into applause as Athena disappeared and the two monster partners knelt down beside Ray. The monster in the broken gold armor, Verche, removed Ray's limp hands from the stomach wound and replaced them with his own. The female monster, Leilan, sat on her knees next to him with her hands clenched and trembling on her thighs.

Verche removed his hands to reveal that the dungeon must have truly been completed since Ray's wounds were healing.

Leilan reached for Ray without hesitation and held him close, rocking back and forth. She rested her head against his and closed her eyes. Her lips moved and whispered something that the viewers couldn't make out.

Everyone watching went silent as they took in this touching moment.

Soon the light particles of data that were Athena began to converge. In place of where her body had once been was a golden egg.

The cheering from the audience was revived when Athena appeared.

The enthusiasm from everyone in the room was not enough to distract Emily from Thomas Malkin. He was whispering something to the Gamemaster whose elated expression had melted from everyone else in the room. A troubled frown was plain on his face and he went straight to his monitoring station.

Emily wondered if Malkin had sensed her gaze, for he immediately looked in her direction and approached as soon as he made eye contact.

He unexpectedly held out his hand, which Emily accepted.

"Congratulations," Malkin said evenly. "Your Player is the first to reach a full team of monsters. He is certainly an impressive young man."

Emily smiled. "That he is. He's taking everyone by surprise. I'm looking forward to seeing how everything unfolds for the other Players."

Malkin's mouth twitched ever so slightly at this statement and he made his exit.

Emily remained watchful as he made his exit and took in the stiffness of his form.

It was enough of a confirmation. Even if Malkin wasn't the leader, he was certainly involved with whatever plan was going on concerning the universal code. Emily figured Malkin was probably suspicious of her as well simply because she was the supervisor. Ray was on the radar, which now put Emily on the same ship.

Emily knew there would be risks. There had been risks from the start. But now they were piling on each other like a blizzard weighing on a thin sheet of ice.

The next part of the plan needed to be put in motion, and she only had hours to do so.

* * *

**Mooresville, North Carolina**

**United States**

**May 26, 2020**

**Real World Time- 4:00 PM**

He didn't like this world. Not one bit. But he didn't hate it, and for some reason he didn't know why.

So many 'didn'ts.'

What was it that made him so conflicted about this world when he had always despised the others his son had engrossed himself in?

Edward Andylon couldn't comprehend it.

Despite the uneasy feeling he had watching his son converse with those strange, humanoid monsters the day previous, he found his heart skip a few beats as relief washed over him seeing his son's victory over an opponent that clearly out-classed him.

Seeing his son pull off a wrestling move against the female monster almost had him rising from his seat at the kitchen table where he had at first been distracted by his newspaper. He couldn't help but watch the fight in the virtual world. The newspaper just wasn't big enough to obstruct his entire vision and the dismayed shouts from his daughter watching the violent display seized his stubborn attention.

The wrestling move was a Russian Tie-Up. Ray had used a similar version of it against those bandits the day previous. It wasn't necessarily the most orthodox choice given the situation, but it had worked. It made the enemy monster's spear almost useless. He had been surprised when the monster didn't drop its weapon in favor of trying to land a few punches on Ray's face. But Ray had positioned himself almost behind the monster to keep it off balance to the point that it needed the other hand to remain standing.

"He may not have enjoyed wrestling as much as you hoped," his daughter said as her excitement died down. "But he'll be thanking you later for that."

Edward considered her words as she got up and went to the garage to fetch a drink.

He stared at the aftermath of the battle and took in the expression on the face of the female monster (since he couldn't really see the face of the armored one). She held his son close to her and rocked back and forth as relief replaced anger and desperation. The look on her face as Ray's eyes opened made him swallow uneasily.

_Definitely too real. This is to the point of being seriously disturbing. I don't like this. Not at all. This is wrong._

He rose from his chair and was about to grab his cellphone when his wife intercepted him in the hallway. She waved the home phone in his face as if taunting him with it.

Edward sighed. "Seriously? Them? I don't have-"

"-Time," she finished for him. "Sorry, but this woman is very insistent."

"Fine." He grabbed the phone from her and addressed the woman on the other end roughly. "What is this all about? I'm busy."

The woman on the other side had such a sweet, seemingly genuine apologetic voice that he almost felt bad about his tone. "I'm so sorry Mr. Andlyon. My name is Kirsten from GNU Private Citizens bank in Charlotte. I apologize for the inconvenience. I am just calling to confirm that you received our message in the mail concerning a false account established under your name."

"Yeah, I got it," Edward attempted to shift his tone, but the frustration in his voice was persistent. "And how in the world did this happen?"

"Well, apparently it was set up using a false drivers license along with providing a previous account and bank routing number."

Edward's jaw dropped at the last bit. Someone had gone to great lengths just to set up a fake account under his name? Why? Did he make an enemy at the hospital in the investigation office he collaborated with? He couldn't believe it.

But then again, maybe all of this was a scam to get the information in the first place. People were pretty sophisticated with creating fake websites and believable credentials.

"Just to make sure. Could you please read to me those numbers?" Edward asked as politely as he could.

"Yes, of course."

She read the account and routing number to him without stutter or hesitation. It was legit.

"How else did they manage this? You must have some security footage right?"

"I'm afraid not sir. I think one of our new employees was misinformed about our acceptance of certain faxes. The numbers were provided physically, but the account itself was not established in person with the license."

Edward rubbed his eyes with his free hand. It wasn't uncommon for someone to make that sort of mistake. Colleges, businesses, almost everyone used faxes. But still, to get a hold of all those numbers...

"Has the account been used yet?"

"No sir."

"Then let's get this overwith now."

"I'm afraid that is impossible sir. It would have to be done in person with a physical signature for the purging of the account and to prevent another occurrence."

Edward took a deep breath and finally managed to fully calm himself. "Okay, how about tomorrow during my lunch?"

"That would work fine. We will make an opening for you because of the inconvenience this has caused. We will have compensation, I assure you."

"Well, that's dandy." He gave her the time and hung up the phone after he set up the appointment.

_What a pain in the ass, _he thought.

He turned his attention back to the television where Ray and his partners were now reunited with the monster they had just fought.


	23. Chapter 22- Salvage

_"Death's precedents are not simply reserved for the individual. It is a causality only with exclusive methods. Therefore, it is not bound by the laws of individuality, but by those that encompass a world." -Hades_

* * *

**Chapter 22- Salvage**

**Seattle, Washington (**_**outskirts**_**)**

**United States**

**May 26, 2020**

**Real World Time- 7:45 PM**

"Weapons check."

The click of safeties and the metallic clack of magazines being slapped into weapons echoed off the ballistic steel walls. The soldiers then made a safety audit on their tactical gear and tightened straps looped under their arms to keep any hard materials from colliding with movement.

The men found themselves angling downward on the benches inside the armored truck and bounced as the wheels absorbed the roughened terrain.

"We're off-road boys," the commander shouted from the front just before he flicked a switch on the bottom of his gas mask to ready an oxygen cartridge. His voice was now muffled as he added, "Five minutes to drop-off."

The commander pointed at one of the soldiers. "Sebastian, status."

The man named Sebastian slid his finger along a tablet and pulled up a birds-eye view of a heavily wooded area that had been designated by Rick Moore's satellite feed, which had then been transferred to their cloaked UAV monitoring from above. He used the simulated control stick on the tablet's screen to shift the angle of the UAV by a few degrees and activated the infrared sight. A few red and orange dots appeared on the feed from the UAV.

"Plenty of activity," Sebastian reported.

"Sky?"

"Negative."

"Good. We hoof it north and wrap around as planned. No deviations unless you meet contacts outside the half-mile radius. Understood?"

A couple of the men voiced their acknowledgment while some gave a playful salute. It was easy for the commander to tell who was who with this seemingly unprofessional response.

"30 seconds!" someone shouted from the front.

Sebastian set the UAV back to its autonomous pre-programmed flight path. He settled the stock of his assault rifle into the space between his armpit and shoulder. _Hang in there Terrance. We're on the way._

Rick Moore had done a solid job finding this place. Using the security cameras in the city and then hacking into a satellite had dismissed any doubts that the men previously had in the tech geek. It was difficult getting used to the outsider Emily had suddenly dumped on them out of the blue. But Moore had found their friend. That was definitely worth something.

The steel doors at the back of the truck opened and the waning daylight seeped through. The rescue team split into two groups and made their way to the first checkpoint without any resistance or sign of life. The woods were disturbingly quiet, as if the animals were holding their breath, fully aware of the intent of these men in full combat gear.

They reached their destination from the north as planned and the second group took position to the northeast a short distance from their comrades. They eyed the large storage facility where the enemy held Terrance Prest.

It was clear that the building had previously been long abandoned despite the obvious refurbishings. Much of the brick was missing on some walls and a cracked pillar of cement threatened to fall, which would bring down a chunk of the structure's roof in a corner. The pyramidal, steel roof was dented and covered with rust. A large metal door was the main entrance that rolled on wheels from side to side. Only one window was visible from this side of the building with thin, peeling bars. It could easily fit two men entering simultaneous.

One of the men next to Sebastian leveled his assault rifle, a modified M4A1, and viewed the building using his IR scope to pick up any heat signatures inside the building. He would have preferred his Mk-13 sniper, but this wasn't a long-range mission and didn't require his desired skill set.

The sniper grumbled a bit to himself and lowered the rifle.

"So?" Sebastian asked after a moment of contemplation.

"They're blocking me a bit. Mylar foil I bet," the sniper said. "I can pick up a couple, but I'm probably missing about half a dozen of them."

Sebastian nodded. Mylar foil was a solid counter to infrared. It blocked the electromagnetic radiation from reading surface body heat.

After the sniper affirmed the positions of some targets, Sebastian relayed it to the rest of the men on a closed radio frequency.

"Twelve cameras," someone reported. "Looks like they're wired. Some clean holes in the gutters too."

Sebastian turned to another man laying prone to his right. "What do you think Tink? No way to go in undetected. We're going to have to make them dark. It will give us some time."

The man with the nickname, Tink, pulled a small device from one of his pouches with a closed switch on its side. It was a portable EMP device that would knock out any electronics in a specified radius. Well, mostly specified. Electromagnetic waves didn't maintain a perfect area of effect and tended to stray.

He eyed Sebastion and gave him a fake frown. "Seriously, it's Tinker. Not Tink."

The sniper snickered. "Whatever you say Tinker Bell."

"Ugh, shut up, Beck."

Tinker attempted to shut out Beck's further comments as he adjusted the timer on the portable EMP and waited for the go-ahead.

"Do you think he talked?" Beck asked.

Sebastian shook his head in irritation. Beck was a fairly new addition to the group. He didn't know Terrance like he did. The indifference and lack of humanity in his voice wasn't appropriate. "People like Terrance don't talk."

"I just want one of these bastards for myself," Tinker said, his anger rising as he was reminded that Terrance had most likely been tortured.

After the commander was briefed on the situation, they received the order. Tinker hurled the EMP at the building. The device landed a few inches from where the edge of the wall met the dirt. A deeper silence seemed to follow for a brief moment as if everyone's ears had been closed off to the world. They took this as their signal and moved in on the building.

It would have to be quick. Whoever was on security would soon be alerted to their presence when the cameras went black. They had only a few seconds to take advantage of the disarray.

Sebastian's group took the right side with the large metal door while the second group moved in on the window.

They smashed the already splintered glass and lobbed in a chemical riot control grenade. The shouts from inside confirmed their suspicions and one of the soldiers settled his rifle on the window ledge to pump in a few rounds. He could make out one individual attempting to pick up the cylindrical grenade that skittered on the floor. One quick three-fire burst from the assault rifle dropped the man over the grenade he was attempting to retrieve.

Sebastian's team had given up on the front sliding metal door which was, unsurprisingly, locked tight from the inside. They were already on their way up the side of the building with only the quiet whisper of the climbing harness distributing the rope. Upon reaching the roof, they went to work cutting through to make their own entrance. The cutting took no time at all given the deterioration of the thin metal, and soon they had a jagged hole large enough to slip through.

Tinker was the first to risk a look inside. A long hallway extended to either side. A bend in the hall leaked a thick, white chemical that indicated their entrance in the roof was close to the only window where the enemy hunkered down.

Tinker nodded to Sebastian and Beck. They flicked the switch on the underside of their gas masks to insert an oxygen cartridge.

All three dropped down into the room, the sound of gunfire near the front of the building drowned out their boots hitting the concrete floor. Sebastian covered the rear as Beck and Tinker moved up on the chemical fog that was beginning to thin out.

It only took a half-second judgment call. They discerned the number of targets, where the friendlies were, and poured a full magazine each into five men that were spread out around the window. One of them managed to let out a scream before a final bullet put him out of his misery.

They reloaded and Tinker moved to secure another bend a short ways down this second hall, while Beck gave the rest of the team outside the all-clear.

The commander was the last through the window. He held a hand to his ear and muttered something under his breath before bringing his assault rifle back up.

"Bravo is making their way to the other side with the battering ram to take out the south wall. They met some unexpected resistance near the road. Nothing major."

"Do we move now sir?" a soldier asked.

"Yes, we need to break off before the enemy converges on this position. It's too tight. Let's move."

Sebastian and his team regrouped and met at the hole in the ceiling where they had flanked the now dead opposition. They moved down the hallway and cleared any rooms they came across. All of them were empty. After a few minutes, they arrived at what appeared to be a receiving area. The truck dock outside hadn't been there when they scouted the building, so Sebastian assumed that this section had been renovated for a different purpose from what was actually intended when first constructed. This main roof was supported by makeshift, wooden rafters that clearly wouldn't be passing the state of Washington's building code. A number of metal landings led a few dozen feet up to reach a web of interconnected walkways.

A group of armed men crouched on the walkways opened fire on the trio who took cover behind a tall stack of wood pallets covered by a tarp. The pallets burst with small explosions of splinters and debris.

Beck ventured away from his comrades and rolled behind a pack of barrels chained together.

"Cover me!"

Sebastian and Tinker obeyed. They glanced around the corner of the pallets and let loose a volley of bullets in the general direction of their adversaries. The thump of bullets against the pallets receded and Beck settled his rifle on the rim of one of the barrels. When one of the men above exposed himself his head whipped to the side as a 5.56 mm round punched through. The other three men on the walkways didn't seem inclined to initiate a counter-attack as they saw their fellow collapse.

Their split-second hesitation didn't go unnoticed. Sebastian moved right as Tinker took the opposite side and they positioned themselves underneath the grated bottoms of the walkways the men stood on. The flimsy metal buckled and shredded as more rounds from the M4A1s tore through the flesh of the fear-stricken men.

Beck moved to the opposite side of the loading area and secured a door that led further into the depot. The men above were soon confirmed dead and the three soldiers convened.

Tinker made a few deliberate tests on the door handle before twisting it. A satisfying clank reached them from the other side as a latch slid free. The door opened with a strained groan and he peered down a hallway that stretched to the right and angled once again at about a hundred meters.

"Who the hell designed this place?" Tinker muttered.

"It's like a base out of some B-rated spy movie," Beck commented.

They made their way down the hallway with Sebastian leading. He extended his arm behind him, palm facing out and put a finger to his lips. He gestured to a faint shadow along the floor where the hallway tapered off.

"Amateurs," Beck whispered. "These guys really caught Terrance?"

Sebastian couldn't deny that he had a point. So far the men they encountered had plenty to be desired. They weren't strangers to combat, but they also lacked a discipline that came from being in an organized unit for years. He didn't doubt that some of them might have once been soldiers, but there was no way they displayed the combat experience of those in the special forces or other specialized faction. They hadn't experienced what he had. Far from it.

However, it would be difficult to take the hallway from the front. The enemy would be hunkered down around makeshift barricades and firing from the safety of sharp corners.

If that was the case...

Sebastian gestured for Beck and Tinker to move in closer.

"Alright," he whispered. "Bravo is coming in from the south with the ram. All we need is patience. Wait for the signal."

Beck and Tinker nodded as they caught on to his plan.

They waited without a word, eyeing the shifting shadows around the corner of the hallway. Barely audible whispers traveled along the walls from the nervous men waiting around the corner.

Sebastian's trained senses analyzed the shadow that stretched along the floor. He could make out the fuzzy outline of the rectangular light that failed to encompass the entirety of the floor. It also waned considerably as it reached for the wall with the shadow left of center. The light also dimmed at the edges at regular intervals of about a second-and-a-half each from right to left at his perspective. He could then discern that the light was from a singular hanging lightbulb swaying back and forth, and that it was not in the hallway itself, but was beyond the threshold of an open doorway given its shape and inconsistency.

Sebastian then retraced his team's fighting through the warehouse and visualized the layout of the building he had memorized on the drive to the north side. If his memory served him well (which it did), they were just a few meters away from the south side where Bravo would be making their entrance. First the ram would be used on the outer wall, then the next room adjacent would be planted with strip charges.

Sebastian estimated the wait time to be between thirty and forty-five seconds after the first breach. The main bulk of the enemy forces would hopefully be concentrated to the rear of the room near the charges. A flash grenade from Sebastian's group would follow after Bravo provided the opening.

This was his thought process. It was second-nature to him. Countless operations over the course of decades. This was the cool mind of a man trained in the art of killing as a lifelong occupation.

A loud crash reverberated throughout the building and a shift in the shadows on the floor betrayed the enemies' surprise.

Sebastian instinctively held up a hand for Tinker and Beck to wait, even though it probably wasn't necessary.

Five seconds. The flash grenades were already in their hands.

Ten seconds. The shadows began to recede towards the door.

Twenty seconds. The three soldiers readied their throwing motions and shifted their feet at an angle.

Thirty seconds. The explosion rocked the building as Bravo team's strip charges detonated and strategically destroyed two opposite sections of the rear wall in the room Sebastian and his team saw for the first time as they hurled the grenades. The grenades bounced and then burst into a flash of white light that disoriented the enemy soldiers. Some of them fired their weapons blindly in desperation at the crumbling wall that had distracted them.

Bravo team bowed out of the fight gracefully as they understood what was happening.

Beck was first into the room, and he emptied the magazine of his assault rifle into a group of enemies to the right side as he dropped to a prone position. Tinker took the party to the left as Sebastian disabled the men lying facedown on the ground at the center of the room, who had most likely been thrown off their feet due to the force of the explosion from behind. A third man was struggling to his feet next to the other two and Sebastian stepped in front of him and drove the butt of his weapon into the man's face. The soldier fell unconscious and his head lolled to the side.

It wasn't until the adrenaline of the battle wore off that they focused their attention on the individual sitting limp in the chair at the center of the room, arms bound behind his back.

Sebastian crouched in front of the battered form of the man they had come to rescue, Terrance Prest. Behind him he could hear Tinker cursing under his breath. Beck stood to the side with a heavily suppressed grimace forming on his face.

"Dammit Terrance," Sebastian whispered. "You tough son of a bitch."

The tortured man didn't seem alive at first glance, but one could hear a strained gasp escape his lips every few seconds. It was impossible to discern from sight if his chest was rising or falling with the strained breathing. His face was a bloody mess, a mix of fresh red wet and old dry. Multiple short, thin slits covered his legs where a sharp weapon had penetrated his skin multiple times. A few of his fingernails were missing, and the soft exposed flesh underneath was turning a nasty purple.

Beck's expression had softened and he rested a reassuring hand on Sebastian's shoulder. The gesture was appreciated. His previous comments were already forgotten.

Tinker went to work on Terrance's binds and he gave them a half-smile. "Maybe there was no need for a rescue mission. He had almost worked his way out."

Soon they heard the commander barking orders on the other side of the room. "Let's move. We may be out in the boonies, but we made quite a racket. Authorities will have been alerted by now."

A voice broken slightly by static intruded upon them as if that last sentence was a cue. "I would imagine so."

Everyone in the room readied their weapons as the foreign voice spoke. It seemed to be coming from everywhere. They immediately began a search of the room to find the source. They didn't even freeze for a second at the sudden introduction the voice made.

"I suppose I should thank you for this. My employer will certainly learn a valuable lesson from this experience. The era of corporate rule is still in its stages of infancy, and one must set aside and distribute authority when it becomes necessary. War is not my employer's area of expertise you could say."

The commander motioned for Sebastian and his team to prepare for Terrance's extraction from the warehouse. They obeyed and lifted Terrance onto a collapsible stretcher that one of their comrades had attached to the side of his backpack. They carefully made their way through one of the holes made in the wall. Sebastian grimaced as Terrance groaned when they traversed over a pile of debris that forced them to angle the stretcher. There must have also been some internal wounds they couldn't possibly be aware of.

The voice continued its speech over the intercom that still hadn't been located, "There aren't many with the ability to bypass all that security and hack into a satellite. Some top-notch work there. Of course, there is also a matter of trust. A rather fickle thing, but desperate times call for it. I'm impressed. Takamura had some powerful friends indeed. And when it comes to hacking, the only one I can think of is Rick Moore."

Sebastian flinched as he heard the name. This man, who the hell was he? That was classified information. Nobody was supposed to know that Rick had secretly been working with Takamura up until his death. Emily suspected Malkin was behind everything that was going on. But this man had referred to someone as his "employer." Could this employer be Malkin? Authority, the era of corporate rule: they both referenced someone at the top of international power. But then, who was the man speaking?

Sebastian glanced to his left and saw that someone was already at work recording the voice from the intercom. He inserted an ear-bud and adjusted some of the settings on the device to get a clearer recording of the audio.

"It is clear that this failure is not due to my own lack of competence. Now perhaps the leash around my neck will be lengthened," the voice said. "You will find that my men will provide you with much more of a challenge."

Sebastian and the rest of the team exited the warehouse. Half the sun was obscured by the horizon and the air had cooled with a soft wind. It would have been considered a good ending if not for the voice that spoke with its mocking tone.

They lifted Terrance into an armored vehicle, this one different from the one they had arrived with, and followed soon after.

The voice from the warehouse spoke a few more words before the doors of the armored van closed.

"I hope we can all get acquainted soon."

Sebastian reached for the iron handle attached to the inside of the metal door of the van.

"Go to hell," he muttered.

He slammed it shut and the van was well down the road before they heard the sound of sirens carried to them on the intensifying wind.

* * *

**Seattle, Washington **

**United States**

**May 26, 2020**

**Real World Time- 8:37 PM**

"I hope that recent events have reaffirmed my argument," the man said. His words were followed by a stream of static as he entered an area with a low signal.

A man in the darkness listened, his patience waning. His fingers drummed on the wooden desk. The thumping of his nails on its surface echoed in the office. It only served to further grate on his nerves. It was said that darkness had the ability to deepen sound. He was starting to believe this was true.

"They have rescued their comrade with no casualties on their side. I would say that this is a complete and utter failure. Wouldn't you agree?" the man over the phone continued to ridicule him.

He gritted his teeth to force back his building anger. It wasn't just that the other man was a cocky bastard, but that he was right. They had known it was only a matter of time until Terrance Prest's location was discovered. A few more hours and he would have been dead. It had been clear that no means at their disposal would get the man to talk. They had waited too long. Now he had valuable information to provide to his comrades that could give them more solid footing.

Those people had hacked into one of his satellites, completely decimated some of what he believed were his best men, and had walked away unscathed. He had been played for a fool.

There was also Ray Andylon, one of those unforeseen _SSS _ranked Players to show up in the virtual world to throw a wrench in his plans. Ray and his allies were starting to become a major threat. His Masked Players were running short on time. If Ray and his monsters managed to reach Metatron and Pandora before they could initiate their attack it would turn into a huge mess.

The universal code was so close.

"I assume you understand the gravity of our situation," the voice said. His tone had taken a more serious turn as he grasped the severity of the silence.

The man in the dark lowered the phone from his ear and rested it on his leg as he weighed his options. He tightened his grip on the phone before he brought it back to his ear.

"You have full authority regarding ground operations."

The man in the darkness could practically feel the smile of the man on the other end of the phone. "Why thank you sir. You won't be disappointed."

He responded with no more than a grunt and settled the phone in the receiver. For a time he sat with his fingers laced and elbows planted on the desk. The walls of the office felt like they were closing on him. It should have been the other way around.

Suddenly, he was on his feet. His rolling chair fell backwards and collided with the bookshelf behind him. He drove his fist on a corner of the desk and shouted in frustration. When his anger reached the boiling point, he ran his arm across the surface of the desk and flung aside everything in its way. The desk lamp collided with the wall and its light bulb shattered into a hundred pieces. His laptop bounced off the floor and its battery dislodged permanently from the force of the fall. Scattered paper sliced through the air randomly and slowly submitted to the will of gravity all around him.

It was becoming a mess.


	24. Chapter 23- Spirit

**A/N: I know, finally, another chapter. I have been working on some original works which took me away from this story for a while. The good news is that I finished the chapter following this one and just need to edit it. Wait, this is Chapter 23? This first book is almost done? Well dang. **

**Thanks again to everyone who has supported this series. Your words of encouragement and your constructive criticism helped make this story more than I ever expected it to be. It is a story in a niche fandom, but I'm glad that many of you with little to no knowledge of Puzzle and Dragons decided to give this story a shot. And to those of you who play the game, I also hope you are enjoying what I have done with the monsters that so desperately needed worlds to call their own.**

**As an added note: I am so glad that they turned Puzzle and Dragons into an anime. When I had first planned this story, I did not expect it to actually happen. But now the monsters have more than just one place to call home and even more stories to tell.**

**I recommend checking out this site and others to find even more Puzzle and Dragons worlds to explore. Puzzle and Dragons is growing in more ways than one, and I find it to be a truly wonderful thing. **

* * *

_"The strongest are those who effectively reconfigure the formula for risk and time." -Erenheim_

**Chapter 23- Spirit**

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Rhea-Themis Temple**

**In-Game Timer: Day 28**

**7:36 PM**

Yukiko settled herself down on the sandstone steps that led to the entrance of Rhea-Themis temple. The tall stone door stood agape behind her and she could feel a light breeze lift her red hair off her shoulders. It was as if the temple was breathing steadily in a sleep. She closed her eyes and let the air wash over her. It brought her a sense of calm.

At the base of the temple was the source that had brought her and the other Players and monsters here. It was a massive crater, much like the one they had witnessed back at the capital city of Fluorestris. The masked Players of Depths Legion were still at work bringing panic to the continent as they threw its inhabitants, and nature itself, into disarray from all the destruction.

A portion at the base of the temple had been sucked into the whirlpool of dirt, stone, and vegetation. A few sandstone pillars lay broken and flaming at the crater's center. The flames had been another cause for concern. It was as if with each new crater, the magic was intensifying.

Yukiko settled her katana on her lap and examined the blade. It was still slick with fresh blood.

Upon arriving at the temple, the guild members of the Grand Hunters had met resistance from the typical demons that inhabited the area. Some held strong titles that indicated multiple evolutions, while others hadn't even grown their wings and were simply fodder, a buffer to keep the stronger monsters in the fight for a longer duration to deal more damage. However, they hadn't been the real threat.

Standing at the top of the temple was a knight donning pitch-black armor with gold horns protruding from his helmet. At first, everyone had assumed that this knight was just perhaps a more advanced form of the dark mystic knight forces common to Depths Legion. But this knight had quelled any of these assumptions with his first attack. His incredible sword had defied physical laws and extended to an impossible length of dozens of meters and nearly killed a Player, piercing his chest just inches below the heart and flinging him through the air like a rag doll. To have such precision with this fantastical weapon and to maintain its balance should have been an impossible feat. It had discerned a Player from the group, the heart of a team, and singled him out knowing that his monster partners would vanish along with him to respawn at a previous unique location.

That was how these sorts of games worked. Upon death, a Player respawns, but in this game there was a price: the steep loss of experience, levels, and possible stat abilities. It was a devastating tradeoff right at the offset.

Then there had been another surprise. A flood of monsters emerged from the side entrances of the temple, and a great, bloody battle was waged. These creatures were foreign to the Players who were used to monsters from the original Puzzle and Dragons game. The lanky creatures with sharply angled appendages that emerged from the temple were known as Devil Mantis. They certainly did appear much like a humanoid form of the nearly extinct praying mantis the Players were used to of their world. The Devil Mantis walked on two bulky legs with their arms shaped in what appeared to be welded hooks with small, barely noticeable pincers at the ends. They let out piercing shrieks when their mouths opened to reveal three layers of teeth receding back all the way down the throat.

However, these creatures did not seem to belong to the dark knight that stood atop the temple. The Mantis opened their backs to reveal two pairs of translucent wings and they flew to the top of the temple to also attack the black knight. It was assumed afterwards that the crater had agitated a nest of the creatures that resided below the Rhea-Themis temple. After all, the temple had mostly been abandoned since the first war of monsters.

The Grand Hunters had emerged victorious, but with a crippling price. Three Players had been killed and whisked away along with their monsters and a number of NPC mercenary soldiers recruited by the guild also perished permanently from the world. The unknown black knight had vanished during the fight.

Yukiko hoped that the cost was worth it. Their guild had become weaker while Depths Legion had left behind their dirty deed and a mess to be cleaned up by those unlucky enough to show up at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Yuikiko forced away the thoughts of the battle. It was done. No sense in brooding over what was beyond fixing.

She pulled a non-abrasive cloth from a pouch hanging on her belt and went to work cleaning her blade with the fine fibers. It had already been prepared as a ritual to settle her thoughts. It was important to focus on nothing but the blade that would save its wielder later. She then produced a white, soft powder ball that would assist her in the next step. It was called an uchiko in her world. She couldn't quite recall its name in this world.

A male voice came from behind her. "Got a minute?"

Yukiko sighed in irritation at having her ritual interrupted. She increased the pace of her cleaning with the mineral oil on the cloth but didn't answer until her work was complete. She sheathed the blade and observed the person standing behind her.

It was one of the commanders of the guild. She believed his name was Ruslin. It was difficult to get everyone's names down. They hadn't been acquainted for long, but she did recall that his monsters were Amaterasu and Cao Cao. For some reason it was easier to associate her comrades with their monster partners.

"What can I do for you?" she asked. She didn't bother standing up as she addressed him.

The young man ran a tired hand through his curly black hair. "We found an open dungeon hidden in the temple. Looks like Depths Legion left in a hurry. We think it may lead to the source of this magic. We've already informed your monsters."

Yukiko lifted an eyebrow at this news and rose from her seat on the steps. Without another word she followed him into the temple.

They were silent as they entered the main hall. The room was lit with torches to reveal what appeared to be models of citadels and other towering structures. A number of stairways led into many rooms that were interconnected by halls and high walkways. There was no way to explore the entire place in a single day. Maybe not even two.

They traveled down into the depths of the earth and traversed more winding corridors. Statues with humanoid bodies and animal heads lined the walls with eye sockets imbued with various jewels that seemed to come alive and follow the two Players who forged on in the deepening silence.

After a short time they entered a chamber with walls and ceiling adorned with tapestries and banners depicting the attribute orbs.

One of the tapestries was depicted a monster that was familiar to Yukiko. The monster presented in the wall hanging was an Egyptian god monster. The monster wore bulky, striped dark purple and violet armor with a helm and mask covering his face. In one hand was a crystalline scepter and in the other was a flaming broadsword.

A muffled voice from the end of the chamber caught her attention and she made her way to its source. Standing next to a female Player with raven-black hair was the exact same monster depicted in the banner Yukiko had just been examining.

"I told them to take these down years ago," the monster said. He was clearly annoyed. "I hate having my face shown all over the place."

"Technically, it isn't your face," the female said jokingly.

"Wear your armor long enough and it becomes your second skin," Ra said. "Ask Siegfried, Cu Chulain, Verche, or any of those other sun recluses and they will back me up on this."

The female laughed. "Alright alright. You win. For a deity of the sun, you sure do hide from it a lot."

Ra rubbed the lower portion of his mask with his free hand as he considered this. "Huh, good point. Might be why my armor isn't gold anymore. Ah, now see, I told you the armor is a part of me. It is a reflection of my lifestyle."

"It doesn't sound healthy."

Ra and the female Player stopped their conversation as they noticed Ruslin and Yukiko approach. They nodded in greeting.

"Speaking of Verche," Ra mused as he recognized Yukiko. "How is my friendly Knight of the Sky?"

Yukiko shrugged. "He seems satisfied with his partner at least."

The other female clasped her hands together when she also realized what monster team they were discussing. "Wait, Verche was the first monster rescued from the dungeons. You're friends with his Player? I heard rumors."

"Rumors tend to become embellished, but yes, Verche was the first." Then she added. "Right. Friends."

The other female Player was about to pose further questions when she was interrupted by an alert on Yukiko's database. Yukiko noted the mail symbol on the left of the holographic screen.

"Speaking of Ray..." She pressed the symbol and opened the private message that Ray had sent her.

She skimmed the first few bits and frowned at the news he sent her.

_"...Leilan and Verche have insisted that we head south towards Vesta Cave in the southern Bakke Mountains. I'm not sure if private messages are considered safe, so I can't go into too much detail about it, but I will say that it is crucial for the war. We will first stop and see Sophie and Desdon in Sarkast. My armor got pretty beaten up so I am going to need it repaired or replaced. Hope everything is going well with the guild. Keep me posted..."_

The message was rather brief, and Yukiko was about to close it when she realized that the message went on further. The scroll bar on the side had a small bit of faded space so she could read further down the message.

Yukiko shifted on her feet as she read the last bit.

_"Oh right! The fight that got my armor messed up was against Athena. So I have a full party of monsters now. Woot woot! :3_

Yukiko allowed herself a relieved grin and shook her head as she composed herself. What was with the shift in tone of the message with the silly emoji? He had inserted the last bit as an afterthought when most people wouldn't be able to stop bragging about it. He was far too humble. Or maybe he was just seriously absentminded.

It was incredible though! Ray had a full team of monsters. She always knew there was something about him that felt different from the other Players she met. It was like he had some sort of hidden energy and passion for this world that dwarfed everyone else. He also had a habit of drawing danger to him like a magnet.

_Wow_, Yukiko thought.

She was about to tell her comrades the news when an excited voice from the other end of the chamber echoed off the walls and beat her to it.

"Hey Yukiko! Ray has his third monster! The guild leaders are gonna be kicking themselves when they hear it!"

Yukiko wasn't surprised when she saw Kurt waving enthusiastically at her with the humanoid cat monster, Bastet, in tow. Bastet was hitting him in the side of the head with her paws and yelling at him to stop making such a racket. A short ways behind them was the stoic Ceres, her white hair was lifting off her shoulders as she channeled magic that allowed her to float. Yukiko noticed that a soft white outline traced the contours of Kurt's body. It looked like it was some sort of thin barrier conjured from Ceres's _Shower of Healing_ active skill. Perhaps Bastet had been hitting Kurt so much that Ceres felt the need to heal her Player.

Shortly after, Yukiko's monster partners appeared. Parvati was riding on top of the Bengal tiger, Somanandi, as per usual. The tiger squeezed its way out of the hallway and into the chamber with the help of Liu Bei. Liu Bei plucked off some of the fur that stuck to his emerald armor and glared at the tiger.

"It smells bad enough in here. You really had to do that?" Liu Bei pulled more fur from his long white hair.

Somanandi's breathing intensified and he let out a few short gasps of what sounded almost like laughter. What looked like a slight grin curled on its face. Yukiko could have sworn the tiger was a prankster sometimes.

Kurt hunched over and rested his hands on his knees as he gasped for breath. It wasn't until he lifted his head that he noticed Ruslin standing off to the side with a wicked grin on his face.

"Oh, crap," Kurt gasped. It was audible enough for Ruslin to hear.

Ruslin waved him off and laughed. "Don't worry about it. I was one of the two who wanted him to join."

Kurt let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, well, that's good to hear."

The female Player with Ra leaned forward with clear interest. "Wow, so someone has a full team. That's crazy." She then added, "Ray Andylon op. Please nerf."

Kurt and Ruslin laughed at the gamer joke while Yukiko tilted her head in confusion.

"Ah, right." The female extended her hand to both Kurt and Yukiko. "I haven't introduced myself. My name's Rina."

Kurt and Yukiko both greeted her in kind.

"I feel like I know you," Kurt said. "Have we met somewhere?"

Rina smiled pleasantly. "Oh boy. Yeah, you might. My full name is Rina Nakamura."

"The singer? Holy crap!"

Yukiko crossed her arms in irritation. Once again, they were being put on hold for pointless talk. Although, they were still waiting for Ruslin's monsters to arrive. Curiosity started getting the best of her.

"Singer, huh."

Rina laced her hands behind her back, sensing Yukiko's impatience. "Yeah, um, just a few songs so far. I sing the opening theme for this game. Well, it was a game until..."

She trailed off to prevent herself from saying too much and glanced around the chamber as if she would be able to pick out the invisible cameras following them. The cameras from the people of their world to show off their efforts as entertainment.

_I see,_ Yukiko thought. _She knows more than I expected. The knowledge of this world might be spreading too fast. _

She was about to ask what was taking Ruslin's monsters so long when a circle of pale white light appeared just behind him near the dungeon's entrance. A series of Japanese characters appeared along its outer rim and two figures began to take form at its center. More distinct limbs materialized and in a burst of dusty light, two god monsters appeared.

The first was a strong male donning heavy crimson armor with two broadswords crossed behind his back in thick sheaths. He thrust his arm next to him to still the matching cape that lifted at his side as the magic of the teleportation built up and receded. He had a heavy scowl on his face as he rubbed his jaw covered by a thin brown beard.

The second monster was a female with long white hair wearing a shrine maiden outfit over a red dress of fine silk. In her hands was a bow that was as long as she was tall. Two large quivers brimming with sizable arrows were hoisted on her back. Her young, charming face held an expression completely opposite of her fellow monster.

"Oh wow! Look at all the new friends," the female monster greeted them with an enthusiastic bow. "I am Amaterasu. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The male monster in the heavy armor planted his hands on his hips and said in a gruff voice, "Cao Cao."

"Your shining personality always lifts spirits." Amaterasu's smile didn't waver as she lightly placed a hand over her mouth. Then she added, "Pun intended. I think that's what it's called?"

Cao Cao grunted.

Ra chuckled at the two monsters. "An amusing pair." Then he addressed Amaterasu directly, "Two deities of the sun on the same expedition. How fitting."

"Indeed. Though it seems you have been spending more time in the underworld," Amaterasu teased.

"Geez, I'm getting that a lot today."

"In any case." Ruslin stepped in to get the task at hand underway. "Now that we have everyone present, I say it's time we began our trip into the dungeon. I would like for us to finally discover some explanation for these absurd spikes in magical power."

Everyone nodded their assent and the atmosphere took on a heavier, more serious tone.

Yukiko was glad that Ruslin had the courage to step up as leader despite the fairly intimidating god monsters that stood around them who were the true veterans of this world.

They entered the narrow passage into the dungeon, with hopes that what they sought would be revealed below. They also hoped that no new enemies lurked in the shadows.

* * *

The dungeon had started typical enough compared to the others the Players and monsters had faced. The usual generic winding corridors and walkways weren't all that unfamiliar in nature. After thirty minutes of uneventful travel, they came upon a winding staircase that disappeared deeper into the darkness. The dark was almost suffocating as it was accompanied by a musty smell of decay. They quickened their steps as the air worsened and came upon a lighted tunnel at the base of the stairs.

Ra led the group and extended a hand behind him. His companions obeyed. It took a few extra seconds for Yukiko to understand what was troubling the sun deity. This light was not normal. Thin strands of silver floated within the yellow. They disappeared into the stone floor while others seemed to appear from nowhere.

"Dead magic," Ra said.

Amaterasu noticed the confusion of the Players and explained, "When magic is released it leaves a solidified byproduct that dissolves back into the earth. Usually it is impossible to see unless it is used in large surges."

"It's been a while since that crater formed," Ruslin commented. "This may be something else."

"We might not be alone," Ra concluded.

The monsters took the lead and cleared any branching corridors they came across. The air thickened until it felt as if they were breathing in salt. Ra assured them that it was normal and there were no side effects from being exposed to the depleted magical byproduct.

A large pair of double doors signaled the end of the corridor. A massive gold knocker with the symbol of the light attribute blazed fiercely as they approached.

"Aren't you supposed to be a native of this place?" Rina addressed her monster partner. "You seem lost."

"No. Can't be," Ra whispered. He didn't seem to hear her.

He planted his hands on the doors and distributed all the strength to his legs. The doors groaned in protest as they pushed inward to reveal a massive chamber. Fading torches lined the walls and frisked the dancing shadows on the rough surfaces in unison.

Yukiko swallowed heavily as she observed the incredible golden jewel at the chamber's center. Halos of light pulsed from its base and faded as it extended to the stone walls. The jewel had to be the size of a two-story building. Two loops of gold circled the jewel diagonally and ended in a sharp point at its base. Despite its size, the shape made it all too familiar.

It was a gigantic spirit jewel.

Standing and sitting casually atop the jewel were four masked Players with their monsters surrounding them. They stared at the new arrivals silently, as if they were expecting them.

Kurt instinctively raised his double-edged axe. Bastet rested a paw on his arm and urged him to lower his weapon.

"Forgot the rules, eh?"

Kurt's face betrayed a tinge of red as he realized his blunder and he lowered his axe.

The masked Player sitting at the center of the jewel rose and stared down at the Players and monsters of the Grand Hunters. His head shifted ever so slightly as he examined each of them. His interest was plain despite the mask that covered his face.

Yukiko recognized the ink design on the white mask.

_Erenheim._ Yukiko glowered at him.

The leader of the Players of Depths Legion made a twitch of his head as Yukiko and Kurt's faces registered.

"Ah, yes. I remember you. Flint Peak. Well met," he chuckled. His falsely good-natured tone grated on Yukiko's temper. "Your buddy, Ray, he's absent. What a shame. I was hoping to boast my good fortune."

One of the masked Players next to him cleared his throat and he stared at him quizzically.

"Oh! Yes, of course. How rude of me. Allow me to introduce my comrades." He gestured to his right. "This is Cassandra." The female masked one giggled. Erenheim then motioned to his left. "And this is Alphonse." The male masked one nodded.

"And behind me is Kaplin. You have already been acquainted with him on another occasion."

Kaplin remained silent and motionless.

Standing behind him in a similar stance was the feared Hades. Also present was a tall male monster in dark cerulean armor wielding a naginata with dual blades. A fierce look morphed on his face when he noticed the light god monsters below.

Yukiko recognized him as the god general, Lu Bu.

Erenheim spread his arms out dramatically. "Isn't it grand? A light spirit jewel containing enough magic to rival the destructive power of a nuclear bomb."

Ra moved himself to the front of his companions and planted the pole of his scepter into the floor. He clenched a fist as his rage built upon seeing this desecration of a cherished artifact.

"How dare you," Ra growled.

The light jewel pulsed violently in response to Ra's rage.

Erenheim lowered his hands into a calming gesture. "Now now, don't worry. I don't plan on releasing it. Such destruction would just be a waste."

Ruslin now stood next to Ra, feeling the need to speak on behalf of his comrades as the leader of the guild. "I suppose you wouldn't care to divulge your true intentions then."

"And ruin the surprise? Of course not," the man named Alphonse said.

The female masked one, Cassandra, snickered. "Carnage must be strategically placed."

The disappointment in Erenheim's tone upon his enemies' neutral reaction was plain as he took over the conversation once again. The edge in his voice seemed to stem from another reason as well. "A shame. None of you have a full party of monsters. I was hoping for a fight. What a shame."

_What? _Yukiko thought as she eyed the monsters around the jewel.

She scanned the Players with her database, which revealed their monster team setup. Cassandra and Alphonse's monsters were not currently present, but the scan revealed a few names and titles: Shining Goddess of Secrets, Kali; War Deity of the Night, Tsukuyomi; War Deity, Minerva; Surging Demon Lord, Belial. Two for each Player. Then there was Beelzebub and the other unknown monster they had met at Flint Peak on Erenheim's team. The second came up completely blank while the third only revealed a black silhouette. What was the third he was talking about?

A voice beside her answered her question. "Shit."

She stared at Kurt for a moment and followed his eyes up to the ceiling. Hanging upside down like a bat was a humanoid shape concealed in a thick shroud of black. A number of rigid spikes protruded from its shoulders with floating rings spinning around their base. Its lavender skin emitted a faint glow with a deep star engraved in its forehead. The creature felt Kurt and Yukiko's gaze on it and regarded them silently with its blank eyes.

"Who the hell is that?" Kurt whispered. "I've never seen that monster before."

Yukiko lifted up her database again for a more direct analysis. "Let's find out."

The database ran a scan of the monster. Yukiko frowned when only a name appeared on her screen. Usually it would have provided some stats, types, and lore, but all that appeared was a name and title: Star Eclipser, Shalim.

Yukiko noticed Amatersu peering over her shoulder. The monster shook her head as the name didn't register.

_Strange. _Yukiko thought. _How is it that Depths Legion is getting their hands on so many monsters that not even denizens of this world are familiar with? Did the Abyssal tamper with some coding before the testing began? _

Yukiko decided it was best not to brood on such thoughts since there was no evidence to work with. Only assumptions. Besides, they had bigger problems.

"Well," Erenheim continued. "Only one more site left until we begin the awakening. We won't keep you in suspense for much longer."

The chamber rumbled like the belly of a beast and debris showered around the two parties. Cackling laughter echoed off the walls of the chamber, the source being from a tunnel that was hidden behind the giant spirit jewel.

"Looks like Beelzebub has everything all set," Cassandra said. She opened her inventory and a luminescent crystal radiating a dark aura materialized in her hand.

Yukiko gritted her teeth as she recognized the item. It was rare. It worked much like the warp stones that could take a Player and his/her monsters from a non-hostile zone and teleport to the most recent key location. But this was an item of the highest rarity that could extract an entire party from a dungeon.

_Bastards._

"They even get all the rare items!" Kurt shouted. "What a load of bull!"

A shrill shriek echoed off the chamber walls as the monsters and Players of Depths Legion vanished in a tornado of swirling light. At the base of the jewel appeared the praying mantis creatures they had fought only a few hours before.

Yukiko leveled her katana and braced herself for the onslaught of Devil Mantis. They weren't as big as the ones they had fought outside. They might have been lesser evolution versions.

But it was their numbers that made them so frightening. First it was a few dozen, then they multiplied into the hundreds as the mantis flew above the spirit jewel while those without wings crawled along the ceiling.

A line of mantis to the right of the jewel were obliterated in a particle line of yellow light from Ra's scepter. Amaterasu drew her bow and fired a volley of her harpoon-like arrows that ripped the heads off the mantis with deadly precision. Fountains of blood dripped down the sides of the gold spirit jewel and radiated a crimson light on the walls.

The mantis soon broke through the ranged defenses and moved to flank the group on either side. Yukiko cut down a pair of mantis that approached. She grabbed the sickle arm of one of the slain enemies and used it to parry an overhead strike from another adversary. She whirled about, sliced the creature's belly, and drove her sword through its spine for good measure.

Pinned against the wall was Kurt's group. He swung his double-edged axe in wide arcs to keep the enemy at bay while Bastet picked them off with the furious swipe of her claws. Ceres hung in the back to provide supportive healing while also casting spells of wind to fling enemies off course that dropped from above.

Bastet's unwavering focus transformed into a wicked grin as she pummeled a mantis into the stone floor. She sliced its throat and her claws now emanated a dark magical energy.

"Aw yeah!" Bastet shouted. "Now we're in business. Initiate active skill _Spread Cats!_"

Bastet cut through the air at an approaching mantis much like she had for the duration of the fight, but this time it continued through its body to dig into another mantis standing behind it. It even cut through the second to slice a third and fourth. The crowd of mantis had no choice but to spread out, which then inevitably left an opening for Bastet and her team to break away from their unfavorable position.

Despite the overwhelming odds, the battle was going well. 'But for how long?' was the question. The mantis were senseless when it came to battle, and no matter how many of their fellows went down, they pressed forward undeterred.

"We need to retreat!" Ruslin clamored and stabbed a mantis in the throat with his broadsword. As he was about to finish his swing to decapitate the monster he jerked back suddenly and twisted unnaturally a few inches off the ground.

Yukiko gasped as she saw a black blade transfix Ruslin's left shoulder. It emerged from seemingly nowhere. The blade was impossibly long and extended to the opposite side of the cavern where a black knight with gold horns on his helm stood on an overhang with his arm extended outward. He planted his feet firmly to prepare his weight and jerk the sword.

_He was still here?_ Yukiko batted aside the arm of a mantis and stuck her sword through the creature's armpit as she rushed to assist her commander.

Rina was already there fending off the mantis that attempted to strike down the vulnerable Player. She deflected the attacks from her foes with dual short swords and dealt counterattacks that focused on immobilizing rather than killing. Going for the finishing blows would leave the captain open for attacks.

From nearby an angered voice roared, "Initiate active skill _Carving One's Own Path_!"

A figure enshrouded with fire burst into the fight and flung the mantis through the air. The monsters screamed as their skin seared and blood boiled. The crimson general, Cao Cao, drove his broadswords through the mantis and limbs splattered on the floor sickeningly. The majority exploded in a short pillar of fire as the sword unleashed its wrath within them. More mantis flew back as Cao Cao's Player engaged his barrier. As the shield activated, the blade in Ruslin's shoulder had no choice but to retract to its master.

"Th-Thanks guys," Ruslin gasped. Blood spewed from his wound as he struggled to make combinations of orbs.

"Amaterasu! Parvati! Focus fire on the knight! Keep him off us!" Rina shouted.

They didn't even need to be told. A blast of magic from Parvati's trident grazed the black knight's shoulder. The explosion from behind forced him forward and he embedded his extended sword into the wall to slow his fall. Amaterasu fired two arrows in quick succession along his path of descent, but they were intercepted by a carefully timed downward kick and a deflection from his wrist shield. His sword briefly shrunk to its original shape until he extended his arm out in a quick thrust towards Parvati. The sword narrowed and shot forward like a bullet.

Somanandi shifted to the side to avoid the attack and even managed to crush a couple of mantis under his large, sharp claws.

During this brief exchange the mantis had turned from an ocean of bodies to a tidal wave.

Some of them had died from unknown causes during the battle. It was as if they were newborn creatures that hadn't fully developed and were succumbing to the shock of movement from weak limbs and possibly bulimic organs. If it weren't for them being hostile and vicious it might have been a truly saddening thing to behold. But everyone was too focused on their own survival to really consider what was happening to the immature and malnourished creatures.

Yukiko activated her Player barrier as a large group of mantis converged on her from all sides. It was true. They needed to retreat before the sheer number of enemies drowned them. She made a few combinations of orbs to provide her monsters with power. They were next to her a second later to dispatch the remaining mantis that had avoided the activation of her barrier.

The rest of the team was setting up a line formation for their strategic retreat towards the doors of the chamber.

"Think it's about that time," Liu Bei muttered. He angled his sword for a two-prong attack that cut the enemy closest to him and one directly in line of his sword's swing. There was a brief hesitation before the mantis split open and spewed red.

Yukiko shifted her attention back to the stone wall where the black knight had attempted its assassination. He was nowhere to be found. It was as if he was a phantom that shifted from existence at will. No matter. It meant they wouldn't have to worry about being picked off.

Ra brought his scepter back and steadied his feet as everyone made their escape into the corridor.

"Initiate active skill _Solar Lazer!" _He swept his scepter in a horizontal arc and flaming light emerged to quell his victims in a semi-circle.

He backed into the corridor as the rest of the group worked together to seal the doors. They merged with a resounding clang that echoed through the halls of the temple. A reverberating tone of finality. It wouldn't hold forever, but it would be long enough to regroup outside where the rest of the guild awaited their arrival.

* * *

As expected, the mantis, in their mindless fervor, had followed Yukiko and company to the outside of the temple. They were quelled with little effort as some died from being exposed to the surface that their bodies were not prepared for. The result was a few minor injuries and green gore dripping down the front side of the temple.

Shortly after, a meeting was held which included the guild leaders and the team that made the discovery in the temple. Among the present guild leaders were the quiet Maya, and the steely Cynthia. Yukiko recalled that Cynthia was one of the main contributing factors that had prevented Ray from joining the guild. Kurt was still fuming about it, but miraculously, he somehow managed to contain himself around her.

"Damn them." Cynthia crossed her arms roughly and kicked up a plume of dirt. "What is this 'awakening' they were blathering about?"

"The first thought that comes to mind is the summoning of a creature," Maya ventured solemnly. "Judging from the energy of just this one spirit jewel, well, it must be massive."

"Ra seemed to know about the spirit jewel," Rina said. "But I don't think even he knows what a spirit jewel like that could be used for. He was just angry about them messing with it."

Yukiko removed herself mentally from the conversation as the words only brought about more speculation.

They were dealing with a spirit jewel with the destructive power of a nuclear bomb. If tampered with, it would most likely bring the Rhea-Themis temple out of existence and anything within at least a three-kilometer radius. That wasn't even taking account of what might occur after the initial blast and residual energy. Depths Legion would make sure that they had fail-safes in place to prevent anyone from deactivating the spirit jewel by normal means. So how...

Yukiko shifted her attention back to her comrades when an unexpected voice interjected.

"What about draining the energy?"

It was Kurt. He had been sitting off to the side lost in thought. Yukiko had actually forgotten he was there. His face had an uncharacteristic expression as he pondered his words.

"What do you mean, Kurt?" Yukiko asked so that attention from the others wouldn't waver.

Kurt was silent for a few more seconds before answering, "Releasing it is obviously not an option. But magic is considered energy, right? I'm wondering if our laws of energy might be applied in this situation."

"You are going to need to get pretty detailed if you expect us to follow this." Ruslin laughed. He winced as his shoulder stung despite the healing magic that had been applied earlier.

"Has anyone ever heard of destructive interference?" Kurt asked.

Everyone stared at him with blank expressions with only a hint of recognition in their eyes.

"It's when waves of energy interact with the same amplitude and frequency cancel each other when out of phase-" Kurt started.

"Oh god, my brain," Rina moaned.

Kurt smiled as he continued his explanation. "What I'm saying is, we can't release it all at once by destroying it, so why not redirect it in a controlled manner somewhere else?"

"And how would we go about that?" Cynthia asked. "This is just a theory assuming that magic works the same as, say, kinetic energy."

Kurt momentarily forgot how much he hated her when she provided him with such an effective counterargument.

"There is another way."

They all turned to see Ra standing off to the side with the other monsters. He planted his scepter in the ground and sat on a nearby rock.

"Your theory is an interesting one, so I will view it as a slightly similar solution. The attributes of this world are all based of energy derived from the suns of this world. It is just converted when used. A phenomenon occurred during a rare eclipse sometime during the early years of this world's life. The name of this birth of attribute energies has been lost over time. However, one thing is confirmed, and it is that all of these energies have weaknesses and strengths against each other."

He leaned forward as he presented his conclusion. "That being said, light and dark are an anomaly. They are both weak and strong against each other. It depends how the energy is applied. Wood is always weak against fire, water against wood, and fire with water. No exceptions."

"So what you're saying is," Yukiko said as she caught on to where he was going next. "It doesn't matter how much energy you have, you just need energy of the opposite attribute when it comes to light and dark, depending on its method of being administered."

"When it comes to spirit jewels, yes. It's energy is in a static state. Magic manipulated by us monsters would be a different story since we control its method of distribution based on our own unique abilities."

Kurt punched a fist into the palm of his hand. "I see! The result between the collision would result in that dead magic we saw!"

"Which then returns to the earth and is revived," Ra added.

"But what if the other spirit jewels aren't light and dark then?" Maya asked.

Everyone was silent as the pertinent question sunk in. What indeed. The other attributes couldn't potentially cancel each other, only destroy and disperse. So then...

"It doesn't matter," Cynthia said. "They need all of the spirit jewels for this summoning, or whatever. As long as even one is disabled then we shouldn't have a problem."

"We would have to destroy it afterwards," Ra added gravely. The pain in his voice was palpable at the thought.

"Great! We have a plan." Ruslin rose from his seat with newfound energy. "We use a dark spirit jewel and cancel the energy!"

"So, I hate to be a downer," Rina interjected. "But does anyone have a dark spirit jewel we can use?"

Everyone went quiet. The energetic mood had died as swiftly as it appeared.

"Well shit," Kurt muttered.


	25. Chapter 24- Black Water

_"Hello, Sanity. The gale of the Wind Chasers has passed, so let us walk around. It would seem the leaves and winds have broken up again." -from the diary of Princess Amelia Fluorestris_

**Chapter 24- Black Water**

**Seattle, Washington**

**United States**

**May 26, 2020**

**Real World Time- 8:07 PM**

"Welcome back, Ray."

Ray's eyes opened as he heard the familiar voice. His pupils dilated and shivered as they took in the dimming fluorescent lights through the blue visor. Vision blurred a few seconds less than the last time he had logged out of the virtual world. His mind and body were getting accustomed to the transition of the neural transceivers. He flexed his fingers to ward off the numbness and cracked his joints.

It seemed that his body had been unconditionally fooled into believing that his real body had undergone the desperate battle in the dungeon against Athena. He didn't feel the stiffness in his limbs that should have been associated with his fatigue. Ray knew what it was like for the body to experience extreme levels of duress. This allowed him to more quickly associate his current reality with the other one.

_Reality_, Ray thought. The denotation of the word was becoming lost to him.

Experiencing this world with its inhabitants, the familiar relation between the two, had turned _real_ into something more than a concept.

A vision of Leilan nearly on the verge of tears flashed in his mind. Typical Leilan, she had a soft heart under the exterior that forced a cold indifference at times. Even Verche's emotions were palpable from his shaking hands and the trembling in his voice as Athena returned to them. A pleasant bewilderment had momentarily crossed Leilan's face as Athena regained her senses. Athena's typical stern countenance that they were so used to had crumbled. She collapsed into tears in Verche's arms. Her chokes and sobs nearly made her incoherent as she repeated 'I'm sorry,' over and over again. Seeing Athena succumb to this mix of enmity for herself, and the joy of seeing her comrades had crushed what little emotional defenses Leilan had left.

They cried. And every so often Ray could pick out the whispered 'Thank you' as he rested in Leilan's lap.

His monster partners. They had become so much more to him now.

Ray was jarred back to the present as the color of the room changed when the visor on his helmet retracted. He turned his head and observed the typical neutral expression on his supervisor's face. Something seemed different about her this time though. The line of her mouth betrayed a hidden emotion he couldn't quite place. Fear was the first that came to mind. He convinced himself he was being overly presumptuous due to the drastic nature of the word.

Ray lifted himself forward in his chair. A dizzy spell came over him as his body readjusted to movement. He deliberately slid at an angle in his chair and planted his feet on the ground to face away from Emily. She was holding her words back. Swallowing her angst. He could tell. He glanced up at the camera mounted at a corner of the room. Ray made a motion with his hand to cover his mouth as he spoke and rubbed his eyes that were already perfectly adjusted to the light.

"What's this about?"

Emily crossed one arm over her chest and went to finishing his logout procedure. "We need to talk. Not much time."

Ray nodded and followed her out of the room and into the plain white hallway that led to the glass skywalk, which would then take them to the cafeteria. He always had this feeling that she was up to something. It had been lingering in the back of his mind ever since he had first logged into the virtual world. Perhaps it was even a part of her plan. Giving him information and then saying it was because he was an "underdog." The word hadn't sat right with him. All it took was one poor (or deliberate) choice of words to leave that tiny seed of doubt.

All in all, Ray surmised that they had maybe two minutes for uninterrupted and unmonitored discussion. Whenever a security camera came into view they would settle into an uncomfortable silence.

"I assume you understand what is at stake here," Emily said bluntly.

Ray feigned ignorance. "Huh? What are you talking about?" He gave her a sideways glance.

Emily nodded and returned the look. "Fair enough. I don't expect you to trust me. The information I gave you isn't enough to warrant it. But know this, I'm placing my trust in you because we are desperate. We need you Players and monsters to succeed in that world. If you don't, well, Malkin wins."

_By god,_ Ray thought. _She really is desperate._

"Have you ever heard of Blackwater?" Emily asked.

Ray's thoughts froze and his foot caught on the smooth floor. He knew enough about it to understand where this conversation was leading.

Blackwater. It was a private military company founded in 1997 by a former Navy SEAL. The organization had gone through multiple names such as XE Services and Academi after being acquired by private investors following a major fallout. They had contracts with multiple countries working in security, military combat, etc. Despite the fact it was a legit company, the employees were, essentially, mercenaries. Recently they moved into a deal with a company called Cantril that seemed to come out of nowhere, but was claimed to be a subsidiary of a major company based in China.

"I take it you understand," Emily continued as she noted his change in posture. "I am from the same organization. Technically. Blackwater was a front for another organization that operated in secrecy. It was never given a name, and its activities were never recorded. Our members never knew each other's real names or backgrounds. We were responsible for major events in Vietnam, the Afghan War, The War in Somalia, you get the idea. I won't get into too much detail. I joined during the time Blackwater changed hands. Not long after, it was disbanded."

Ray realized his right arm was shaking and clasped his left hand over his elbow to regain control. All along he knew he had become a part of something huge. But he never imagined anything on this scale. She might as well have dropped a bomb in his stomach. This secret group of Blackwater could arguably have been considered the most powerful international military organization in the world. This was information that would get him killed if anyone were to find out. Even the offhand mention of it was catastrophic for both himself and his family.

He felt like a dead man already.

"Now you have a grasp of it," Emily said. Ray could see a small shred of sympathy in her eyes. She blinked once and it was gone.

Ray managed to somewhat regain his composure as they rounded a corner and entered the sky bridge that overlooked the city of Seattle. The city was quiet for the most part. As quiet as a city could possibly get.

"Why are you telling me this? Shit. Why all of a sudden?"

Emily answered without hesitation, "Because you must know what is at stake. You are my best bet. You are my gamble. But hell, I could be full of shit for all you know. You do not need to divulge any information. All I ask is that you keep going as you have been and give me time."

"Time?"

Emily took note of their pace and the number of steps it would take for them to reach the cafeteria. There wasn't much time left.

"I need you to log out of the virtual world at exactly six am tomorrow morning. When you log back in, I need you to stay there for another thirteen hours."

Ray eyed her coolly. "Why?"

"I don't trust anyone else to log you out safely. Gamers binge sometimes when they play games right? As far as everyone else is concerned, this is a game still. Just pretend to willingly have an extended session. That's all I ask."

Ray examined her features again for anything that might be concealed behind her words. He didn't expect to find anything from someone with the training that she described, but that lingering fear was still there. No mistaking it. He couldn't label it as a coincidence seeing it a second time. He had to wonder what she could possibly be capable of if she had any ill-willed intent. If she really wanted to sabotage his logout after seeing him as a threat like she described, then she would have done so already. Ray also had to wonder about the vehemence in her voice when she uttered Malkin's name. Again, she was highly trained in more than just combat. It could all be an act. But from what he could discern in the short time it took to reach the cafeteria, he could see no harm in staying logged into the virtual world for longer than usual. He would only allow his trust to reach so far.

But what if she was telling the truth? What if she really was a part of this secret organization that hid behind Blackwater all this time? He needed allies from his world in order to succeed. War was being waged in two worlds that indirectly affected both their fates.

One step at a time. First, he needed to reach Metatron and Pandora. Thirteen hours in his world was thirteen days in the virtual. He would set his timeline to coincide with Emily's.

Just before they crossed the threshold into the cafeteria, Ray asked one last question, "Do you know about Takamura's universal code?"

Emily nodded quickly. "Yes." And then she added, "I know what you want. I was the same way. Embrace it. But there are those who must suffer for it to happen. Don't ever forget that."

Ray felt a shiver crawl down his spine.

"Although, I suppose that's always been inevitable."

Ray clenched his fist as Emily made her way to the opposite side of the cafeteria. He didn't move until she disappeared.

_I see. So that's the kind of person you are. _His moment of anger lapsed and an uneasy smirk crept to his lips.

_Don't be so sure of that._

* * *

**The Virtual World**

**Pirugan Continent, Castle of Satan**

**In-Game Timer: Day 28 **

**11:47 PM**

The quaking of the floor beneath her feet was all the warning she needed. Following the discovery of the army of black mystic knights near the town of Teril, The Divine Queen, Hera, had opted to withhold the information from Satan until more members of Depths Legion were present. Especially Hades.

Contrary to his brutish appearance, Satan was a competent leader with sound judgment and an impressive strategic mind that was hidden behind his one major flaw: rage. He was vulnerable to drastic decisions and uncontrollable furor that led to regrettable outcomes. This was countered by his comrades. Hades was his second-in-command and closest friend. His levelheadedness was necessary in order to keep Satan's emotions from spiraling out of control. Hades was not enough to diminish them entirely though.

Hera flinched involuntarily as the massive double doors behind her exploded under Satan's fist. Splinters of wooden debris and metal bloomed like a devastated flower, leaving nothing left that even resembled a door.

Hera placed a hand over her face and shook her head. _Oh boy. _Her weariness from the trip was beginning to settle in. She was glad that Persephone had also taken time out of her itinerary to show up and assist in minimizing the damage.

Satan's roar echoed off the walls of the castle, "Players!"

Hera hoped he didn't lose control enough to actually kill one of the Players. Depths Legion still needed them despite their treachery.

Hera wiped off some of the splinters that littered her armor and took a few moments to compose herself. She took a deep breath and made her way to the main hall of the castle where she assumed the shouting war would take place.

_Oh boy._ She repeated the thought over and over in her head as she descended the stairs.

Many of the pillars had recently collapsed alongside others that had suffered the same fate over the course of years. It was a good thing that hundreds of pillars had been erected to hold up a ceiling that stretched nearly beyond sight. Otherwise, Satan would have already brought the whole castle down on their heads years ago. He would have done the Guardian monsters' work for them.

Hera chuckled at the thought despite herself.

Her moment of respite was short-lived as the Players appeared in the hall alongside their monsters. Hera could pick out a few monster names that were familiar to her as the Players disparaged the Grand Hunters with elation.

The Players' satisfied mood diminished as their view was filled by Satan's massive form. Two of them took a few hesitant steps back, but the leader of the Players, Erenheim, and his right-hand, Kaplin, appeared to be undeterred. Kaplin's posture did not betray his growing apprehension as Satan drove one of his six fists into the floor next to Erenheim. The masks were useful at a time like this.

"What is this I hear about mystic knights near Teril?" Satan roared.

Erenheim placed a hand over his mask and shook his head. "Oh my. Oh my. This is quite unfortunate."

"Unfortunate is an understatement," Hera muttered to herself as she watched the exchange.

She felt a familiar presence next to her and she regarded the fellow Legion monster that now stood beside her.

Hera greeted the beautiful monster with a nod. "Persephone."

Persephone smiled sweetly. "Hello Hera. At it again are we?"

"But of course."

"What happened at Fluorestris..." Persephone trailed off as she recalled the flaming crater that had taken countless lives.

Hera sighed. She understood her fellow monster's distress. "Yeah. If only we had known. I suppose this justifies our mistrust of the Abyssal and the Creators. It's funny how our plan B is going to make us even more desperate than before. Damn, we are going to look so pathetic."

"But at least we have a better idea of what we are getting into," Persephone reasoned.

Hera shrugged. She couldn't deny it. It was one thing to suspect, and an entirely different thing to be aware. They had always questioned the Abyssal's motives and what information it was keeping from them. Then there was the Creator the Abyssal mentioned who had constructed it. The whole situation had put Depths Legion into a tight spot with little choices. So it was only natural that Hera and her allies would take as much advantage of the Abyssal's knowledge as they could.

Persephone threw her long black hair over her shoulder as an excuse to glance inconspicuously at Hades. Her soft mood shifted as she observed him standing next to Kaplin. He had adjusted his feet into a more staggered stance with his arms crossed.

"I may have to step in as well," Persephone surmised.

Hera eyed Hades curiously but didn't recognize anything worthy of note. Persephone's relationship with Hades was more deep and personal than most in Depths Legion. Even though Hades's expression never changed with that bone face, Persephone always seemed capable of discerning his mood. His cloak also hid his body language for the most part. The tone of his voice was as permanent as his lack of expression. But Persephone always knew. Hera was grateful for her presence.

"You do realize that this relationship is simply based on our mutual interests," Erenheim said. "You cannot regulate our actions in an alliance."

"It is unacceptable!" Satan countered. "First the destruction in Fluorestris and now this army. You only strain the relationships of humans and monsters further. This is not part of our agreement. Our condition was to leave the humans out of this."

Erenheim laughed. "They despise you already. I know about the attack on Sarkast. Your reputation is built on hate."

Hades now stepped into the dispute. "And we plan to tear that down and rebuild. That is why Beelzebub has been expelled from our covenant due to his imprudence. He no longer has any relation to us other than this _alliance_ forced on us by your Creator." He eyed Beelzebub coolly who stood off to the side with a mocking grin on his face.

"Oh no," Erenheim said. His grin broadened. "We are just simply taking advantage of your desperation."

Satan growled, "Why you little-"

One of the other masked Players, a female named Cassandra, finally renewed her courage upon seeing her leader stand up to Satan. "So are you not pleased with the assistance his Abyssal has provided?"

Satan clenched his fists in frustration as he felt the argument falling out of his favor. They did not fear him because they believed he could do nothing. The Players knew why they were desperate. The attack on Sarkast had never been intended all those years ago. Beelzebub had initiated a coup and attacked the city knowing full well that there was no way to possibly breach the walls of the military city with their meager forces. Satan knew what Beelzebub's true intentions were: to solidify the hatred between humans and monsters, especially against the Legion. The reason was still unknown, but it had to be related to some interaction between the Creators in the world of Players.

He was about to shout his response when he felt a hand rest gently on his massive arm. He turned to see Hades staring at him. The dark monster shook his head and made a slight bend of his finger upward. Satan frowned, but he soon caught on almost immediately as the lapse in words allowed him to think clearly.

There was one trump card. A Player was nothing without monsters. And above them, even the Creators had no power, no influence, without monsters.

Hera locked eyes with Satan as he turned to her and Persephone. The anger began to die from his eyes as he observed the monsters that willingly followed him. She gave him a confident smirk and simply nodded. She would follow his lead, whatever it may be. She was willing and resigned to what fate Satan brought.

Satan stared at the Players who now glanced at each other uneasily in the unexpected silence.

Hera saw the tattered mask covering Satan's mouth move as he muttered under his breath. It was difficult to make out, but she could tell from his change in attitude that he was about to drop something big.

_Alright, Satan, _Hera thought. _Time to show us your wager._

"We will play along with your game for now," Satan said. He pointed a finger at Erenheim that was close enough to fill the entirety of the Player's vision. "But know this...if you, the Abyssal, or the Creator breach our contract again, one of you will perish. I guarantee it."

Erenheim seemed taken aback by this. "Oh? How can you make such a bold claim?"

The next word Satan uttered turned the entire conversation upside down, "Takamura."

"What?" It was the Player named Alphonse who gasped and shivered at the name.

Even Hades betrayed his surprise as he lowered his hand and stiffened. Satan had taken a step further beyond his expectations.

Hera and Persephone found themselves moving forward as if drawn by some pull of gravity that resonated off of their leader.

Hera's mind was swimming in treacherous waters.

_He intends to use Takamura? _She thought with disbelief. _We don't even...how can we use what he told us?_

Satan had just taken a huge gamble. But it seemed to be working. Even Erenheim was now at a loss for words. They knew the power of that name. It was no mystery that Takamura had acted extensively in the virtual world world, but his interactions with Depths Legion had come as a huge surprise to these Players.

Hera grinned now as her excitement built. _Well done Satan!_ Oh this was getting good!

Erenheim's poise shifted drastically once again as Satan's words fully sunk in. He laughed genuinely. "Oh wow! Just...wow! Well Played! Takamura, you sly bastard!"

Satan grinned at Erenheim's lunacy. This Player had a superbly built facade that somehow managed to compliment his sadistic nature. It was all a game to him. A challenge. Satan had just upped the ante and excited them both. The monsters of Depths Legion had become an unpredictable factor. But the typical fear of the unknown that was common to humans was foreign to this man.

As it was to Satan.

Erenheim finally managed to regain control of himself enough to speak. "Oh my employer will not be pleased. But that will be satisfying as well. Good show!" He howled with laughter as he clapped his hands together in applause. "Well then, I look forward to the day when we finally force the Guardians from hiding and take the universal code. Then we can settle this dispute once and for all."

Satan was silent. He wouldn't humor the Player any longer. It was a satisfying enough conclusion.

Erenheim then gave the order for his monsters and Players to depart.

Hades exchanged a few words with his Player partner before reuniting with Satan, Hera, and Persephone.

Hera was ecstatic. She couldn't contain herself any longer. "You realize you just declared war on them in the middle of an alliance right?"

Satan growled, "Correct."

"I didn't expect you to go that far," Hades said as he crossed his arms. "You don't disappoint."

"The Guardian monsters will believe it is the Abyssal who allowed many of us to retain our current levels of power. We even managed to fool the Abyssal into believing it," Persephone added.

Satan turned to Hera. "What did you do with it?"

Hera scoffed at him and feigned a hurt frown. "You really think I would let it leave my sight?"

She reached into her armor and produced a small, metallic disk.

"Didn't Takamura say he was going to give three of these chips to the Guardian monsters? Why do you think that is?" Persephone asked.

"Correct," Hades said. "He is the one true Creator, but we do not know what his intentions were. However, this chip did allow us to prevent the Reversion for some of us and solidify our ruse with the Abyssal. This false sense of control will work well to our advantage. As for the other two chips, I am working on the assumption that it has something to do with Metatron's book."

"What about our fabricated pasts that he mentioned?" Hera added.

"Enough of this," Satan rumbled. "Nothing will come of dwelling on this subject until this war moves forward. And that army in Dragon Territory won't be going anywhere anytime soon. The time will be when Metatron and Pandora are forced out of hiding. We will move from there."

Everyone nodded their assent at his reasoning.

"I want the majority of our defenses concentrated on the spirit jewels that involve the wood, water, and fire attributes. The Guardians aren't stupid. They will figure out a way to disable the other jewels. We will be counting on that." He turned to Hera. "I want you to defend the light spirit jewel at Rhea-Themis temple. Make your defense of the jewel as convincing as possible."

Hera gave him a playful salute. "Heh. You got it."

"Hades. Persephone. Continue as you are for now and regain your power with the use of your Players."

Hades and Persephone nodded.

"When this first major battle reaches its conclusion, the dragons will have no choice but to involve themselves. This will open up an opportunity to quell this army hiding within their borders. We may not be able to seek an audience with the Guardian monsters just yet due to recent events, but the time will come."

The grin was plain on Satan's face despite the mask. "Thank Lo, we won't have to put up this act for much longer."


End file.
